Saturday, April 20
Lexington, VA
12:00 PM
Air Force Academy
9-4, 5-1
12
at
5
VMI
4-8, 0-6
1
2
3
4
F
Air Force
1
2
5
4
12
VMI
0
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1
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5
Photo by: Steve Parker
Air Force Cruises by VMI in Road Finale
4/20/2019 1:46:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
Air Force lacrosse outscored VMI, 12-5, securing a SoCon tournament berth with the win
LEXINGTON, Va. - Air Force outscored VMI, 12-5, to secure a Southern Conference tournament berth, Saturday afternoon in Lexington, Virginia. The Falcons improved to 9-4 overall with a 5-1 mark in league play heading into the regular season finale, next weekend. VMI dropped to 4-8 overall as the Keydets remain winless in the league.
Jack Flynn led the offense with three goals on eight shots and an assist to his credit. Flynn's four-point performance marked a season-high for the senior co-team captain. He has three hat tricks on the season. Senior midfielder Tim Baker notched a pair of goals on six shots, tallying 15 goals on the season. Baker has scored a goal or more in eight-of-nine appearances after missing the first three games with an injury. Seven other Falcons notched a goal apiece, including a career first for Evan Place. The high-powered Falcon offense has doubled up six opponents this season.
Senior face-off specialist Trent Harper dominated the face off X, winning 14-of-16 (.875) attempts while picking up a game-high 10 ground balls for the third time in the last four games. Harper, who won his 500th face off last weekend, has claimed victory at center X in 11 contests this season.
The Air Force defense caused 10 of VMI's 21 turnovers, led Vince Lombardi with a pair of caused turnovers to his credit. Senior co-team captain and linchpin defender Brandon Jones snagged five ground balls and added a caused turnover to his stat line. Jones leads the team with 70 ground balls and 26 caused turnovers.
Sophomore keeper Braden Host, who has the second-best goals against average in the nation, had another stellar game in the Falcons' cage, recording nine saves while allowing just three goals in 53-minutes of action. Host, along with the staunch Air Force defense, has held 10 opponents to single-digit goals this season.
The Falcons and Keydets played a defensive first quarter as Air Force netted a single goal while holding VMI scoreless in the opening 15 minutes. Junior attack man Matthew Schwartz, the second-leading goal scorer on the team, was the first to light the scoreboard in a man-up opportunity at the 1:54 mark.
The pace picked up in the second quarter as both squads scored two goals apiece. Flynn notched his first at the 11:17 mark and Trey Lervick capped the quarter with his 31st goal of the season with 3:55 remaining in the half.
Air Force ignited in the third quarter, outscoring the Keydets, 5-1. Baker scored two goals in rapid succession, plugging in an unassisted goal at 13:44. He followed up with his second just 18-seconds later via Lervick's assist in a man-up situation. Christian Kuhn assisted Flynn in his second goal in the same man-up opportunity with six-seconds remaining on the penalty hold. Gianni Orlando and Jake Thornally tallied an unassisted goal apiece before the close of the quarter.
The Falcons continued the clinic into the fourth quarter, outscoring VMI, 4-2, in the final 15 minutes. Chet Dunstan netted his fourth goal of the season via Flynn's assist at the 13:22 mark. Kuhn added a goal to his stat line at 9:18 with an assist from Dunstan. Schwartz fed Flynn for his hat trick goal with 7:12 remaining in the game. Place made the final strike via Christian Marshall's assist with 3:40 on the clock.
At the final horn, Air Force outshot VMI, 39-36, and picked up 37 ground balls to the Keydets' 25. Both teams turned the ball over 21 times.
The Falcons return to the Academy for the regular-season finale against Bellarmine, 12 p.m. MT, Saturday, Apr. 27 at Falcon Stadium. The game will also serve as Senior Day, where the Falcons will honor 12 seniors prior the game.
Jack Flynn led the offense with three goals on eight shots and an assist to his credit. Flynn's four-point performance marked a season-high for the senior co-team captain. He has three hat tricks on the season. Senior midfielder Tim Baker notched a pair of goals on six shots, tallying 15 goals on the season. Baker has scored a goal or more in eight-of-nine appearances after missing the first three games with an injury. Seven other Falcons notched a goal apiece, including a career first for Evan Place. The high-powered Falcon offense has doubled up six opponents this season.
Senior face-off specialist Trent Harper dominated the face off X, winning 14-of-16 (.875) attempts while picking up a game-high 10 ground balls for the third time in the last four games. Harper, who won his 500th face off last weekend, has claimed victory at center X in 11 contests this season.
The Air Force defense caused 10 of VMI's 21 turnovers, led Vince Lombardi with a pair of caused turnovers to his credit. Senior co-team captain and linchpin defender Brandon Jones snagged five ground balls and added a caused turnover to his stat line. Jones leads the team with 70 ground balls and 26 caused turnovers.
Sophomore keeper Braden Host, who has the second-best goals against average in the nation, had another stellar game in the Falcons' cage, recording nine saves while allowing just three goals in 53-minutes of action. Host, along with the staunch Air Force defense, has held 10 opponents to single-digit goals this season.
The Falcons and Keydets played a defensive first quarter as Air Force netted a single goal while holding VMI scoreless in the opening 15 minutes. Junior attack man Matthew Schwartz, the second-leading goal scorer on the team, was the first to light the scoreboard in a man-up opportunity at the 1:54 mark.
The pace picked up in the second quarter as both squads scored two goals apiece. Flynn notched his first at the 11:17 mark and Trey Lervick capped the quarter with his 31st goal of the season with 3:55 remaining in the half.
Air Force ignited in the third quarter, outscoring the Keydets, 5-1. Baker scored two goals in rapid succession, plugging in an unassisted goal at 13:44. He followed up with his second just 18-seconds later via Lervick's assist in a man-up situation. Christian Kuhn assisted Flynn in his second goal in the same man-up opportunity with six-seconds remaining on the penalty hold. Gianni Orlando and Jake Thornally tallied an unassisted goal apiece before the close of the quarter.
The Falcons continued the clinic into the fourth quarter, outscoring VMI, 4-2, in the final 15 minutes. Chet Dunstan netted his fourth goal of the season via Flynn's assist at the 13:22 mark. Kuhn added a goal to his stat line at 9:18 with an assist from Dunstan. Schwartz fed Flynn for his hat trick goal with 7:12 remaining in the game. Place made the final strike via Christian Marshall's assist with 3:40 on the clock.
At the final horn, Air Force outshot VMI, 39-36, and picked up 37 ground balls to the Keydets' 25. Both teams turned the ball over 21 times.
The Falcons return to the Academy for the regular-season finale against Bellarmine, 12 p.m. MT, Saturday, Apr. 27 at Falcon Stadium. The game will also serve as Senior Day, where the Falcons will honor 12 seniors prior the game.
Team Stats
AFA
VMI
Shots
39
37
Turnovers
21
21
Caused Turnovers
10
6
Faceoffs Won
16
4
Extra-Man Opps
7
8
Ground Balls
37
28
Game Leaders
G
3
A
1
FO
-
Pen
2-120
GB
4
CT
0
G
1
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
1
G
1
A
2
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
2
CT
0
Players Mentioned
A
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
GK
/ Men's Lacrosse
D
/ Men's Lacrosse
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/ Men's Lacrosse
A
/ Men's Lacrosse
D
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
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/ Men's Lacrosse
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