Air Force Academy
Notre Dame
Falcon Lacrosse Falls at Notre dame
5/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Air Force's 15-game win streak came to an end, Saturday night, May 14, in South Bend, Ind. The Falcons fell to Notre Dame, 15-7, in the first round of the 2016 NCAA tournament. The 2016 season marks the Falcons' longest win streak and best season to date. Air Force finalizes their season at 15-3 overall with an undefeated mark in the SoCon.
The Falcon team captains found the nylon first with senior midfielder Christopher Allen's goal from Danny Brown's assist two minutes into the first quarter. The Irish responded with two unanswered goals from Mikey Wynne and Timmy Phillips.
Cameron Carter found Nick Hruby for his 26th goal of the season to knot the score at two, with 6:11 remaining in the first quarter. Irish goals leader Wynne netted his 33rd goal of the season followed by Matt Kavanagh's goal to extend the Irish lead, 4-2.
Just under four minutes in the second quarter, Danny Brown got around his defender to put his 10th goal of the season in the back of the net. Notre Dame hit a hot streak, netting five unanswered goals in the second quarter. Freshman attacker Ryder Garnsey logged a hat trick in just over four minutes during the score streak.
The Falcons entered half time trailing by five. Air Force took 12 first half shots and scooped up nine ground balls, while the Irish launched 18 shots and picked up 13 ground balls. Sophomore faceoff man Josh Radjenovich won six of 15 first half face offs. Irish goalkeeper Shane Doss and SoCon Defensive Player of the Year Doug Gouchoe logged three saves apiece.
Hruby got to work early in the third quarter, muscling his way to the cage to net his second goal of the night. Trevor Brosco and Wynne rattled off two goals in 30 seconds to extend the lead, 11-5.
The Falcons were unable to get traction in the third, going 12 minutes without a goal. Eddy Lubowicki and Brendan Collins put in a goal apiece to give the Irish an eight goal lead at the end of the third quarter.
The Irish continued their roll into the fourth quarter. Wynne netted his fourth goal from Kavanagh's assist at 9:13 remaining in the final quarter. Marcus Ward found the nylon for the first time of the night with an unassisted goal from 10 yards out. The goal ended a 19 minute scoring drought for the Falcons.
Wynne extended the Irish lead, 15-6, after netting a goal from Collins with 4:35 remaining in the fourth quarter. Walsch scored his 35th goal of the season with 48 seconds left in the game. The Irish held the lead, 15-7, at the final whistle.
Hruby, Walsch and Brown led the team with two points apiece; Hruby and Walsch netted two goals while Brown made a goal and an assist. Four Falcons logged goals on the game. Notre Dame outshot Air Force, 37-30, and picked up 28 ground balls to the Falcons' 17. The Falcons won nine of 26 face offs. Gouchoe logged nine saves while Doss made 12.
Falcon seniors Christopher Allen, Danny Brown, Shelton Collier, Matthew Duenes, Doug Gouchoe, Luke Leathers, Jake Lindell and Alex Warden played their last game as Falcons. The Air Force seniors graduate, June 2, and will commission into the United States Air Force as second lieutenants. The eight seniors impacted the Falcon record books and led the team to a conference title and their best season to date.
