Lacrosse Upends No. 1-seeded Providence, 9-8

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Lacrosse Upends No. 1-seeded Providence, 9-8

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y.- The No. 4-seeded VMI Keydets knocked off the top-seeded Providence College Friars Friday afternoon, 9-8, and clinched their berth in the 2008 MAAC Lacrosse Championship Game, set to be held Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.

VMI's Kevin Hill had six goals and two assists, in a performance that may have been a tournament record. The win is VMI's first post-season victory in the history of the lacrosse program, and Hill was the key factor on the cool, damp New York afternoon.

With the win, the Keydets improve to 6-9, and 5-4 in the MAAC. Providence's season ends at 7-8, and 7-2 in conference play.

The Friars jumped on the board quickly, scoring just 48 seconds into the game, when Mark Dillon scored off a pass from Jackson Fallon. Providence then added another score at the 10:26 mark, when all-MAAC team member Bennett Murphy scored his 22nd goal of the season to bump the lead to 2-0.

Hill got on the board at the 5:52 mark, scoring an unassisted goal to mark VMI's first-ever score in the post-season, but Murphy answered for Providence, as he beat Sean McCoy to give the Friars a 3-1 lead after one quarter.

Providence controlled play in the opening frame, outshooting the Keydets 8-3, and successfully clearing all four times they attempted to do so.

The Friars jumped on VMI for two more goals midway through the second quarter, increasing their lead to 5-1 at the 6:47 mark. The Keydets responded late, as Tim Moran scored off a Hill pass at the 2:06 mark to cut the deficit to 5-2.

Hill then scored his second goal of the game, a shot past Providence netminder Robert Bryan, to further decrease VMI's deficit to 5-3. That was the score at halftime. During the second period, Providence controlled the face-off X, winning all four contested, and the Friars also were one-of-two on extra man chances.

However, five Providence turnovers helped the Keydets hold the deficit down to just two.

Providence again pushed its lead back to four early in the third frame, thanks to two goals in the first two minutes of the quarter. As they did all game, the Keydets responded, as Hill scored his third goal at the 10:02 mark to chop the margin to three.

Brett Leonard added a goal at the 7:54 mark, and Hill hit Matt Piazza for a marker at the 5:32 mark. In less than five minutes, VMI had whittled the deficit back to one.

The Keydets had numerous chances in the third period, as they fired thirteen shots at the Friars, and were able to force five turnovers for the second straight quarter. Despite those facts, the margin remained at one headed to the final frame, with Providence holding a slim single-goal advantage.

The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth, tightly played final period, featuring hard hitting, including a double penalty assessed at the 9:50 mark, which gave VMI a brief man-up chance. The Keydets could not take advantage, but less than a minute later, Hill scored his fourth goal at the 8:24 mark to tie the score.

VMI's strong contingent of fans began to make noise, and the game stayed tied until the 2:07 mark, when Hill scored once again to give the Keydets their first-ever post-season lead.

That lead was only held for 22 seconds, as Providence responded with a Devin McBride goal, which he scored while falling down. The score remained tied, and despite a VMI face-off win, the Keydets could not mount an offensive threat.

VMI then turned the ball over with 40 seconds to play, but Providence could not take advantage, and at the end of regulation time, the score was tied at 8.

The Keydets had a perfect clear percentage during regulation, having done so 10-of-10 times, and they had taken advantage of fourteen Providence turnovers, in coming back from four-goal deficits on two separate occasions.

Overtime began with a face-off featuring Lowell Patterson, which the sophomore won. The Maryland native pushed the ball to Dave Padgett, who shoveled it to Matt Turner. Turner ran the ball into the offensive zone, and VMI quickly took a timeout.

Coming out of the timeout, the Keydets set up a play for their star, and Hill delivered.

"I got double-teamed, and I just stepped back and fired it," the VMI attackman stated after the game.

Coming off of a set play, Hill was able to get free from the double-team and beat the Friars' Bryan. The goal was historic for multiple reasons, as it not only gave the Keydets their first post-season triumph, but also pushed Hill within one goal of seventh place on the all-time VMI list, and set off jubilation among Keydet fans, and despair among Providence backers.

"Kevin earned MAAC Offensive Player of the Year this year. He is our go-to guy and one of our leaders, and he really stepped up today," offered VMI Head Coach Jeff Shirk. "Providence is very well-coached, they play within their system, and they play hard all the time. I give our guys a lot of credit for coming out on top."

VMI's win will place them in Sunday's championship game, where they will battle the winner of Canisius versus Manhattan, which is Friday's late game.

"It will be a tough game Sunday no matter who wins," Shirk said regarding Sunday's title game. "The intensity will be there like it was today, but we'll go back to work and we'll be ready. It'll all come down to who wants it more."

On the day, the Keydets were led by Hill's eight points, and the defense, which forced four of Providence's fourteen turnovers. VMI won despite only winning six face-offs during the contest.

Providence was led by Bennett Murphy's three points in the losing effort.

Once again, the Keydets will return to action Sunday in the MAAC Championship Game in Loudonville, N.Y., as VMI faces the winner of Canisius and Manhattan.
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Players Mentioned

Kevin Hill

#5 Kevin Hill

A
6' 0"
Senior
Brett Leonard

#10 Brett Leonard

A/M
5' 11"
Sophomore
Sean McCoy

#3 Sean McCoy

G
6' 2"
Sophomore
Tim Moran

#11 Tim Moran

M
5' 9"
Sophomore
Dave Padgett

#22 Dave Padgett

M-F/O
5' 11"
Sophomore
Lowell Patterson

#15 Lowell Patterson

M-F/O
5' 11"
Sophomore
Matt Piazza

#9 Matt Piazza

M
5' 9"
Freshman
Matt Turner

#38 Matt Turner

M
6' 0"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Kevin Hill

#5 Kevin Hill

6' 0"
Senior
A
Brett Leonard

#10 Brett Leonard

5' 11"
Sophomore
A/M
Sean McCoy

#3 Sean McCoy

6' 2"
Sophomore
G
Tim Moran

#11 Tim Moran

5' 9"
Sophomore
M
Dave Padgett

#22 Dave Padgett

5' 11"
Sophomore
M-F/O
Lowell Patterson

#15 Lowell Patterson

5' 11"
Sophomore
M-F/O
Matt Piazza

#9 Matt Piazza

5' 9"
Freshman
M
Matt Turner

#38 Matt Turner

6' 0"
Senior
M