LEXINGTON, Va. – For the second consecutive season, senior Michael McCormick (Lorton, Va./Paul VI Catholic) foiled Washington and Lee University's (3-4) bid for a win over Gettysburg College (6-1), this time by netting the game's final two goals to send the ninth-ranked Bullets past the Generals 12-11 in men's lacrosse action at Wilson Field Wednesday evening.
 

Gettysburg's Top Performers

• Michael McCormick '20 – 3 Goals, 2 Assists, Caused Turnover
• Brian Kolen '20 (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) – 4 Goals, Caused Turnover
• Jack Fletcher '21 (Charlotte, N.C./Providence Day School) – 2 Goals, Assist
• Nick Cooper '21 (Glen Gardner, N.J./Gill St. Bernard's) – 2 Goals, Assist
• Kyle Howard '23 (Skillman, N.J./Montgomery) – 4 Assists
• Christian Atalese '20 (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central)
• Andrew Horn '21 (Bronxville, N.Y./Ward Melville) – 4 Ground Balls, Caused Turnover, 2 Assists
• Scott MacMillan '22 (Berwyn, Pa./Conestoga) – 9 Saves

Washington and Lee's Top Performers

• Stuart Greenspon – 3 Goals, Caused Turnover
• Jack Ware – 3 Goals, Assist
• Mike Weaver – Goal, Assist
• Garrett Cannon – 5 Ground Balls
• Jack Taylor – 15 Saves, 3 Ground Balls

 
How It Happened…

• First Quarter
  • The teams went over seven minutes without scoring a goal in the opening period thanks to a pair of saves by both MacMillan and Taylor in the opposing goals. The Bullets struck first with Howard dishing to Fletcher for a man-up goal at 7:48. Less than a minute later, Horn came out of the backfield and handed the ball off to Kolen for another tally. After another goal by Fletcher, Horn picked up the assist on McCormick's first goal of the game in a man-down situation.
  • Greenspon put W&L on the board with 1:45 left in the frame. Cooper accounted for the period's final tally with Howard adding another assist.
• Second Quarter
  • The teams traded goals to start the second quarter with freshman Connor Koch (Glenview, Ill./Loyola Academy) maintaining the four-goal advantage at 7-3 with 11:25 left in the half.
  • MacMillan stopped a pair of shots before Thomas Zusi found an opening to cut the deficit to 7-4 at 6:29. Despite another save by the Gettysburg goalie, the Generals recovered the ground ball and Tommy MacCowatt converted to set the score at 7-5 heading into halftime.
• Third Quarter
  • The host seized the upper-hand in the third quarter with a five-goal run. Ware scored a pair of goals and Weaver made it 10-7 with 6:26 left. Taylor registered six saves in the period to keep the Bullets at bay before McCormick found Kolen lurking by the net just before the end of the stanza.
• Fourth Quarter
  • A failed clear led to a goal by Ware and an 11-8 advantage for W&L within the first two minutes of the final quarter. Senior Chris Crowley (Madison, N.J./Delbarton), who entered the game at the start of the final period, stopped the Generals' next shot attempt on goal.
  • Kolen broke up a clear attempt by the hosts and went right to cage for a goal at 10:23. Taylor held the Bullets off the board with a pair of saves and the margin remained two heading into the game's final three minutes.
  • Howard showcased his passing skills once again, finding Cooper in front of the cage for a one-timer to put the score at 11-10 with 2:34 remaining. Gettysburg took advantage of a penalty by the Generals on the next possession with Fletcher finding McCormick to tie the game with 1:38 left.
  • Junior Alex Ulrich (Annapolis, Md./St. Mary's) won the next face-off and Gettysburg took its time setting up the offense. Howard made a move to the baseline, but turned back and passed to McCormick hanging outside the right wing. The senior took a couple steps to set up for the shot and rocketed a shot past Taylor into the left side of the cage for the go-ahead goal with 47 seconds left. Ulrich won the final face-off and Gettysburg rode out the final seconds.

 
By the Numbers

• Gettysburg led in shots (44-40), while Washington and Lee led in ground balls (36-29) and face-off wins (14-12).
• Last season, McCormick scored the game-winning goal with 15 seconds remaining to beat Washington and Lee 14-13. In three career meetings with the Generals, the senior midfielder racked up eight goals and five assists.
• Kolen passed Joe Brody '10 for sixth on Gettysburg's career list with 142 goals. Lurking ahead of the senior attackman are Don Martin '92 (146) and Jamie Bateman '99 (147). Kolen is also just four points shy of Brody on the career points list with 206.
• Crowley picked up his second relief victory in the cage this season. The senior played the final 34:54 to help Gettysburg beat Messiah 16-10 in the season opener.
• After appearing in just eight games in his first two seasons, Cooper has broken loose for 12 goals and five assists through seven outings in 2020.

 
Where the Series Stands
Gettysburg improved its record against Washington and Lee to 16-11. The Bullets have won five of the last six meetings against the Generals.
 
Next Up
Gettysburg hosts Eastern University Saturday at 1 p.m.