WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.-Lycoming's men's lacrosse team (10-6, 5-2) fell to Widener (9-7, 5-2) in a Middle Atlantic Conference semi-final playoff game on Wednesday by a score of 19-17. It was the final game of the season for the Warriors.

In his last game in blue and gold, senior Jim Cusick (Garnet Valley, Pa.) exploded for six goals and two assists to lead Lycoming. Sophomore Nate Walter (Harrisburg, Pa.) registered four goals and two assists, while freshman Rick DeNenno (Landenburg, Pa.) had a goal and four assists.

The teams traded goals until Widener scored at 2:12 to go up 4-3 to end the first quarter. The Pride opened the second period with a goal, but the Warriors answered with back-to-back scores by Cusick and Walter. The teams traded blows three more times before Lyco netted three-straight goals in the final minute of the first half. With momentum seemingly on Lycoming's side, the Pride snuck in a goal with 13 seconds left to make the score 10-9 in favor of the Warriors at halftime.

Cusick, Shea Conway (Glenelg, Md.) and Dan Cannon (Orangeville, Ont.) found the net three-straight times to begin the third period, but Widener answered with three of its own. Walter put one between the pipes at 0:35 to keep the Warriors up by one going into the final quarter.

The Pride's Brian Stromko scored in the first minute of the last period, but Lyco's Ed Williams (Florham Park, N.J.) followed with a strike of his own at 11:55. Widener reeled off three-straight goals to capture the lead, 16-15, before Cusick found the net at 6:54 to tie the game for the ninth time.

However, three consecutive Pride goals sealed the Warriors' fate before a last-minute Cusick goal settled the score at 19-17.

Widener's Cory Malampy recorded six goals in the game, while Stromko had five. Lycoming finished its first 10-win season since 2005.

2008-05-01