Hawks Overcome by the Wildcats

MORRISVILLE, NY – In a game being played at SUNY Morrisville because of field conditions, Cazenovia College took a hard-fought 14-12 victory from Hilbert College April 6. While the conditions were frigid on the field, the action was hot under the lights.

Greg Zitnik (Hamburg, NY/Frontier) stormed out of the gate to score the game's first goal within 15 seconds of the opening horn. Ryan Wagner (Orchard Park, NY/Canisius) won his first face-off, picked up the ground ball, and passed it to Zitnik, who fired the ball between the pipes.

Cazenovia's Jamil Modaffari and TJ Shaw would lift the Wildcats to a quick 4-1 lead over the next four minutes before Sean Purtill (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) hooked up with Wagner for Wagner's first goal of the game. Caz scored one more goal with just over a minute left giving the host team a 5-2 lead to end the first session.

The second quarter was evenly played with both squads finding ways to score 4 goals apiece putting Cazenovia up 9-6 by intermission. Josh Baker (Hamburg, NY/Frontier) and Sean Purtill each scored twice for the Hawks showing some fight before half time.

The Hawks came out motivated in the second half, going on a 5-1 run to take an 11-10 lead with 14:53 remaining in the game. After each team traded a goal in the 4th, it was Modaffari that came through in the clutch for the Wildcats ripping the net for three straight goals securing the 14-12 win for Cazenovia (3-4).

Wagner finished the game with 4 goals (1 assist) after dominating the face-off circle. Purtill finished with 3 goals (2 assists) with Baker netting 4 goals himself. Cazenovia was led by Modaffair's 5 goals and had help from Shaw and Jevon Pakkala who each finished the day scoring three goals each.

Hilbert (4-3) travels April 9 to Pittsburgh, PA and will face La Roche College (2-4) at 2:00 pm.

2011-04-07