Offense Held in Check as Elizabethtown Falls to Kean

UNION, N.J. - Kean put the clamps on Elizabethtown's offense Saturday in a non-conference contest at Kean Alumni Stadium. Cory Boushell (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) scored a third quarter goal, but it would go down as the Blue Jays' only goal of the afternoon in a 6-1 loss.

E-town's defense came to play, but the offense found opportunities tough to generate against the Cougars (4-1). The Blue Jays were outshot 13-9 in the first half and trailed 2-0 at halftime.

Nick Angrisani gave Kean a 1-0 lead with 10:37 to go in the first on an unassisted tally. Richard Cheifitz then made it 2-0 in favor of the home team just 1:29 before the first period horn.

Discaplined throughout the game, Elizabethtown (2-2) was penalized just once for 30 seconds. Kean took advantage of the one extra man opportunity it got, however. Cheifitz found John Marcelli for a 3-0 lead 40 seconds into the third quarter with E-town's Derek Neiheiser (Wernersville, Pa./Conrad Weiser) off for pushing.

Neiheiser set up Boushell 2:09 later for the Blue Jays lone goal. Boushell's fourth of the year made it a 3-1 game.

Even strength markers from Brian McCormick and Dylan Conte beat Jays goalie Brendan Corcoran (Hershey, Pa./Western Reserve Academy) (11 saves) before the end of the quarter to push Kean's lead to 5-1.

Marcelli's second goal of the game late in regulation put the finishing touches on Kean's third home win of the season.

Junior Nick Thompson (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) and freshman Dillon McDevitt (Medford Lakes, N.J./Shawnee) each picked up three ground balls for the Blue Jays, who have dropped two straight after a 2-0 start. Four different players caused two turnovers.

Cheifitz scored a game-high three points on a goal and two assists to lead the way for the Cougars. Teammate Jonathan Foss won 7 of 8 faceoffs, helping KU to an 8-3 advantage in that category. Goalie Lane Zierten made 10 saves, and along with his defense, held E-town to its fewest goals in a game since an 11-1 loss to No. 11 Hampden-Sydney in the 2011 season opener.

The Blue Jays will host Frostburg State at Wolf Field this Wednesday at 4:00 p.m.

2012-03-11