SCRANTON, Pa.-Freshmen attacker Kyle Frank (Glen Arm, Md./Boys' Latin) and Stephen Bruestle (Holland, Pa./Archbishop Wood) scored three goals apiece to lead The University of Scranton to an 8-6 victory over the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Landmark Conference action Saturday afternoon at Fitzpatrick Field.

Tied 4-4 entering the fourth period, Frank and Bruestle scored back-to-back goals within an 18-second span to spark a four-goal rally to give the Royals some breathing room. USMMA, the pre-season favorite in the Landmark Conference coaches' poll, scored twice in the last minute to set the final score.

The Royals also received a goal from junior attacker Nick Youngstrom (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) and sophomore Doug Homan (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan) and an assist apiece from sophomore Colin Donato (Marlton, N.J./Camden Catholic), junior Thomas Kornobis (Merrick, N.Y./W.C. Mepham), and freshmen J.P. Barton (N. Brunswick, N.J./St. Joseph Metuchen), Andrew Eastwood (Rumson, N.J./Rumson) and Frank to improve to 6-2 overall and 2-0 in the Landmark Conference.

Sophomore attacker Brian Flannery (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) led the Mariners, now 3-6 overall and 0-2 in league play, with two goals and two assists and freshman attacker Zachary Gary (Scituate, Mass./BC High), junior attacker Brennan Dougherty (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial), senior midfielder Ryan Merritt (Phoenix, Md./Loyola Blakefield), and freshman Arthur Frooks (Manhassett, N.Y./St. Mary's) tallied a goal apiece.

The Royals shook off a 13-shot onslaught and trailed by only one, 1-0, at the end of the first period. Trailing 2-0 early in the second period, Bruestle scored twice and Frank once in the final 10 minutes to forge a 3-3 tie at intermission. Scranton took its first lead of the game on an unassisted goal by Youngstrom with 7:45 remaining in the third period before USMMA took advantage of a penalty to score a man-up goal by Dougherty off of a pass from Flannery with 5:51 left.

After two quick scores from Frank and Bruestle, the Royals extended their lead to three on an unassisted goal by Homan, his first of the season, and made it an 8-4 lead on a goal by Frank that was set up by Kornobis with 2:34 left.

Defensively, the Royals held the Mariners to one goal in 29 minutes of play during the second-half. Freshman goalie Jeremy Dowiak (Hackettstown, N.J./West Morris) made a game-high 11 saves while sophomore Keegan Boyle (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug) and senior Robert Boyd (Coram, N.Y./Middle County) split time evenly in goal for USMMA. Boyle made fives saves while allowing three goals in the first-half and Boyd stopped five shots while giving up five goals in the second-half.

With nine regular-season games remaining, Scranton is just one game from tying last year's entire win output and only five wins away from tying the school-record for most victories in a season (11, 1999). The Royals will open a two-game road trip this Wednesday, April 2, against Centenary College in Hackettstown, New Jersey, beginning at 4:00 p.m.

2008-03-29