ANNAPOLIS, Md. - After being shut down nearly the entire game by a swarming Bucknell zone defense, Navy sophomore attack Tim Paul (Parkton, Md.) broke free from his defender and sank a shot over backup keeper Matt Antonelli's shoulder with 1:20 remaining in overtime to lead the eighth-ranked Navy men's lacrosse team to a 4-3 victory over the No. 12 Bison Wednesday afternoon at a soggy Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. In a battle of the Patriot League unbeatens, Navy improved to 7-1 on the year and 4-0 in conference action, while the Bison had their five-game winning streak snapped as they dropped to 5-2, including 1-1 in the Patriot League.

The win was Navy's first overtime victory at home since Feb. 20, 2003, when the Mids earned a marathon four-overtime victory (9-8) over North Carolina at Rip Miller Field. Meanwhile, it's the Mids' first overtime win at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium since they claimed a 10-9 victory over arch rival Army on April 4, 1987. Three of Navy's eight games this season have gone into extra minutes, the most overtime games a Navy team has played in a single season in program history.

"We went into the game thinking Bucknell would play one way and they played completely different," said Navy head coach Richie Meade whose original statement was filled with relief in winning a game that could have gone either way. "I've never seen Bucknell play zone against us, so I take some responsibility in not having our offense as prepared as what we should have been. That said, we generated 32 shots, but just weren't in sync. We were a little too meticulous, but that's what zone does.

"We did all of the little things pretty well today," added Meade. "It was a great day for goalies as their backup keeper really came in and did a good job and Matt Coughlin played very well for us."

Tied up at two apiece with 10 minutes remaining in the contest, Navy junior midfielder Shane Durkin (Germantown, Md.) scored his fourth goal of the year and what may have been the biggest of his career, giving the Mids a 3-2 lead with 5:04 to go. With under three minutes to play, Navy's defense continued to hound the Bison, however, senior midfielder Nick Marks played the spoiler, sending a shot from nearly 15 yards out over the left shoulder of Navy reserve goalkeeper Tommy Phelan (Towson, Md.) who came into the game in relief of junior keeper Matt Coughlin (Brightwaters, N.Y.) who limped to the sideline following Bucknell's game-tying goal four minutes into the fourth quarter.

The Mids had a final opportunity to score in the closing seconds of regulation after a Bucknell turnover gave the Midshipmen the ball. Junior defensive midfielder Geoff Leone (Massapequa, N.Y.) ran nearly the distance of the field before dishing off to senior Gregory Clement (Dallas, Texas) who was nestled on the left side of the crease. Antonelli, however, came up with a big save, but the ball bounced back into play where defensive midfielder Bobby Lennon (Westminster, Md.) snatched the ball and sent what he had hoped to be the game-winning shot just high of the crossbar and the game into extra minutes.

Navy senior Mikelis Visgauss (Setauket, N.Y.) won the faceoff to start the overtime period and Navy sophomore middie Basil Daratsos (Niskayuna, N.Y.) got a solid look at the goal with just under a minute gone by. However, Antonelli made one of his game-high 11 saves to turn back Daratsos' shot, giving the Bison possession. But Bucknell, who turned the ball over 21 times in the game, failed to clear the ball as the pass sailed out of bounds to give the Midshipmen possession.

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2008-03-19