FRANCONIA >> Souderton saw West Chester Rustin end the third quarter in a flurry, scoring goals with 36 seconds and three seconds left. It proved too much for Big Red to overcome in an 8-5 defeat in the District 1-AAA boys lacrosse first round Tuesday night.
Will Pileggi scored first for Rustin, and Cal Mackenzie capped off a three-point quarter with a goal after some great passing. The assist came from Michael Burke. Rustin would finish the quarter with their largest lead of the game at three, 7-4.
Souderton’s Walker Martin opened the scoring on the third possession of the game. The goal proved to be the only offense in the first quarter, as Big Red left the opening 12 minutes up 1-0.
Rustin had plenty of chances in the first quarter, including a possession where Souderton only had five men on defense due to a substitution error. The Golden Knights were unable to score, however, thanks to five Axell Beskar saves for Souderton. Rustin made multiple attempts to stuff the ball in from close, but Beskar had an answer ever time.
The second quarter started sloppy, with both teams turning the ball over. Rustin got on the board with 7:49 remaining in the half on a Forest Rosser laser shot from the outside. The Golden Knights took their first lead of the game about two minutes later when Cal Mackenzie took matters into his own hands and stuffed one in.
Martin again struck for Souderton with 1:40 remaining in the half, but Rustin closed out the half with a goal right before halftime to go into the locker room up 3-2.
Souderton won every faceoff in the first half except one, but were unable to fully capitalize due to turnovers. The one faceoff Rustin won in the opening 24 minutes led to the goal that gave them the 3-2 lead.
Big Red also won every face off in the second half, losing just one for the game.
Rosser started the scoring in the second half with a nice goal off an assist from Mackenzie. It was one of two assists in the quarter for Mackenzie, who also dimed up Nick Madonna later in the third quarter.
Souderton scored to pull within 4-3 in the third quarter with Trent Brenaman shot while Big Red was a man up. Souderton had two opportunities with a man up in the third, but were unable to capitalize on the second. Rustin scored soon after the defensive stand to make the score 5-3.
Souderton’s fourth goal came thanks to determination from Cole Witoslawski. He alluded multiple defenders to pull his team within one again.
Jake Phaup, who won all those faceoffs for Souderton in the game, kicked off the scoring in the fourth with a pinpoint shot to pull Big Red within a pair at 7-5.
Rustin followed up with a man advantage goal of its own, with Burke’s second tally of the game. Just like that Souderton’s deficit was back to three with six minutes to play.
The lead was once again cut to two on Breneman’s second goal of the game with 3:30 left. Souderton finished with an assault on offense and defense, but it proved to be too little too late in the end.
West Chester Rustin 8, Souderton 6
West Chester Rustin 0 3 4 1 – 8
Souderton 1 1 2 2 – 6
Scoring
First Quarter
S – Walker Martin – 9:59
Second Quarter
WCR – Forest Rosser – Assist Dustin Simmler – 7:49; WCR – Cal Mackenzie – 6:02; S – Martin – 1:40; WCR – Michael Burke — :23
Third Quarter
WCR – Rosser – Assist Mackenzie – 10:47; S – Trent Breneman – 10:06; WCR – Nick Madonna – Assist Mackenzie – 5:44; S – Cole Witoslawski – 4:47; WCR – Will Pileggi — :36; WCR – Mackenzie – Assist Burke — :03
Fourth Quarter
S – Jake Phaup – 8:22; WCR Burke – Assist Simmler – 6:03; S – Breneman – 3:31.
Saves: WCR – Kyle Mullin 7; S – Axell Beskar 7.
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