english, stamos, duffy
Randall K. Wolf
12
VMI VMI 7-7, 3-5 MAAC
13
Winner Quinnipiac QU 9-3, 5-3 MAAC
VMI VMI
7-7, 3-5 MAAC
12
Final
13
Quinnipiac QU
9-3, 5-3 MAAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
VMI VMI 4 0 4 4 12
Quinnipiac QU 3 6 1 3 13

Game Recap: Lacrosse |

Late Quinnipiac rally tops VMI, 13-12

HAMDEN, Conn. – Ahead 12-11 with seven minutes left to play, the VMI lacrosse team could not sustain the lead as host Quinnipiac rallied for two late goals to earn a 13-12 victory over the Keydets Saturday afternoon at Quinnipiac Soccer and Lacrosse Stadium in Hamden, Connecticut.
 
With the loss, VMI falls to 7-7 on the year and 3-5 in MAAC play while Quinnipiac improves to 9-3 overall and 5-3 in the league. VMI's 12 goals for the day brings its season total to 173 for the year, third most in program history and one behind the 1992 team with at least one game to play.
 
The loss creates a must-win scenario for the Keydets to have a chance to qualify for the MAAC Tournament, which begins Saturday, April 27. VMI and Marist (3-4 in conference) will likely be battling for the final No. 6 spot in the playoff when the two meet next Saturday at noon on Drill Field #2.
 
 
Junior attack Luke Rusterucci continued his 32-game scoring streak with a goal and two assists on the day and has now totaled 30 points in conference games in 2024, tied for second most in program history for a single season.
 
Game Summary
VMI led by a 2-1 score early on following goals by Wil Duffy and AJ Stamos and later led 4-3 at the end of the opening period after goals by Rusterucci and Duffy.
 
Quinnipiac caught fire on both ends of the field during the second period to score six unanswered goals during over the 15-minute span while holding the Keydets scoreless defensively. The rally catapulted to a 9-4 lead at the half.
 
Unfazed, the Keydets fought back into it and ultimately caught back up at 10-10 early in the fourth period when senior defender Luke McDonald scooped up a faceoff groundball and took it in for the tying score.
 
After Dylan Donnery put Quinnipiac back up, 11-10, with a score, VMI scored two straight goals by Luke Mryncza and Austin English with 7:09 on the clock. The Bobcats would ultimately score two goals in a 30-second span with four minutes left in regulation to earn the come-from-behind win.
 
 
VMI Head Coach James Purpura
"It was a tough result on an effort I thought was very respectable. We had a few guys go down earlier in the week and we had a next-man-up mentality. We came out of the gate with some early momentum but had a tough second quarter where they leveraged a 6-0 quarter. After halftime, our team had one of our best quarters of the year and played complementary lacrosse.
 
"We were playing catch up and battled back to retake the lead early in the fourth quarter but weren't able to win the ensuing face off and Quinnipiac scored on the next possession to retie it. Again, this group didn't quit and I'm proud of the effort. We had chances late to tie it and their goalie made some big saves to secure it. We've got one more game here at home with a chance to keep making positive history and I'm excited to get back to work with this group."
 
Inside the Box Score
*In a physical game, the Bobcats logged six penalties to VMI's five throughout the game
*Quinnipiac outshot VMI by a slim 38-33 margin, but VMI had 29 shots on frame to 23 for the Bobcats
*QU goalie Mason Oak was credited with 17 saves to 10 saves for VMI's Adam Norris
*VMI made its presence known defensively and held Quinnipiac to a 12-for-20 clears count
*VMI won the faceoff X battle, 16-12
*VMI's Austin English and AJ Stamos led VMI with three goals apiece while Duffy earned a pair
*Dylan Donnery led the Bobcats with four goals on the day while Trevor Douglas also recorded a hat trick
 
Up Next
VMI will battle Marist College for Senior Day next Saturday at noon on Drill Field #2 with a MAAC Tournament berth on the line.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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