men’s lacrosse hangs tough with bullets

Returning home after a rough 0-4 start that included three losses to nationally ranked teams, the Muhlenberg men’s lacrosse team had to contend with 18th-ranked Gettysburg, the defending Centennial Conference champion and a team that ended the Mules’ 2008 season with a 13-3 win in the first round of the playoffs.

Although Muhlenberg couldn’t pull off the upset, it played Gettysburg as close as it ever has, falling by a 7-3 count. The Mules had never been within five goals of the Bullets or held them to single digits.

Leading the defense was sophomore Mike Horowitz, who made 13 saves in his first career start and kept Muhlenberg in the game despite a 34-14 deficit in shots.

Freshman Corey Aferiat gave Muhlenberg a 1-0 lead with 9:33 left in the first (right). Gettysburg (4-3, 1-1) scored two goals in 48 seconds to take the lead and had an extra-man advantage, but junior Ari Jacobson scored a man-down goal to knot the score at 2-2.

The Bullets led 3-2 for most of the second quarter, and it looked like they would take the momentum into halftime after scoring with just 12.7 seconds left. The Mules responded, however, and senior Nick Fletcher scored with 3.7 ticks on the clock to make it a one-goal game again.

Muhlenberg would not score in the second half, however, as Gettysburg pulled away. Junior Al Carpetto (left) came close when he hit the crossbar late in the third with the score 5-3.

Senior John DeLuca picked up five ground balls and caused four turnovers for the defense.
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