Brennan Dougherty and Zachary Gray tallied five points apiece to help lead the United States Merchant Marine Academy lacrosse team to an 11-9 victory over Connecticut College on Wednesday evening at Captain Tomb Field. The teams played a one-possession game that featured eight ties and four lead changes until the 11:02 mark of the fourth quarter. Trailing 8-7 after three frames, the Mariners scored three straight goals on extra-man opportunities to open the fourth quarter and never looked back the rest of the way.

USMMA improved to 5-6 overall with the win. Connecticut College dropped to 5-5 overall with the loss. This marked the first time that any Landmark Conference team beat a squad from the New England Small College Athletic Conference.

"This was the kind of win we were looking for going into the rest of conference play, and a real confidence booster," said tri-captain Ryan Merritt.

"We were firing on all cylinders tonight," added Dougherty, who is also a tri-captain. "Our defense and goalies came up huge and held another great team to under 10 goals. Our transition game was (also) on point. Hopefully we can carry this momentum we have into this weekend's conference game."

Dougherty had four goals and one assist while Gray added two goals and three assists to pace the Mariner offense. Michael Boidock scored what would stand as his first career game-winning goal.

"It was a one possession game all the way through to the fourth quarter and a huge win," said Head Coach Tom Gill. "Having Brennan Dougherty back gives all the guys a lot more confidence on the offensive end."

Defensively, this game marked the ninth time on 11 occasions that the opposing team was held to under 10 goals. Led by Michael Condron, Michael Maginnis and Kevin Campbell, the Mariner defense only allowed Connecticut College to take 15 shots on goal, including just one shot on goal in the final three minutes of the game.

Steve Dachille led the Camels offensively with three goals. Ryan Hayes also had three points on one goal and two assists. Defensively, Will Schumann scooped up four ground balls. Peter Mussar came off the bench and won 12 of his 15 face-offs.

USMMA got on the scoreboard first when Dougherty found Gray for a goal at 13:44. Connecticut College responded with two straight goals courtesy of Ben Eischen and Dachille at 12:57 and 11:58 to take a 2-1 lead. On the ensuing face-off of the second Camel goal, Maginnis scooped up the ground ball and tied the game at 2-2 when he found the back of the net at 11:47. The teams held each other scoreless the rest of the quarter and the score remained tied when the horn sounded.

The Camels regained their lead when Hayes connected with Dachille at 12:44. However, Hunter Smith had the answer less than a minute later when he scored an unassisted goal at 11:50.

Connecticut College took the lead back once again at 8:56 on an extra-man opportunity. Stevenson had the goal for the Camels with the assist going to Rob Walsh.

Merritt tied the game once again when Gray set him up from the point. He rifled a shot that found the back of the cage at 6:39. Robert De Pol then gave the Mariners the lead again at 5-4 when he scored an unassisted goal at 5:48.

Playing a man up for the second time in the frame, Connecticut College tied the game up for the fifth time in the half when Phips Smith scored off a pass from Hayes at 4:48. The Camels were able to take a 6-5 lead into halftime courtesy of an unassisted goal by Kevin Nally at 2:16.

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2008-04-10