2008 Woodie Awards
Koppens, Hounds rip Rutgers 15-3
Kat Kienle
Issue date: 4/8/08 Section: Sports
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Assistant Managing Editor
Last season, the Rutgers' offense had their way with Loyola when the men's lacrosse team traveled to New Jersey to face the Scarlet Knights in an ECAC showdown. The results this past Saturday on Diane Geppi-Aikens Field were however much different.
In a match-up where Loyola never relinquished their lead and 10 different Greyhounds scored, the offense rolled over Rutgers in a 15-3 win to improve to 4-0 in the conference, 5-4 overall this season. Meanwhile, freshman goaltender Jake Hagelin and the surrounding defense smothered any Rutger attempts at the cage, holding the Scarlet Knight to just one goal in the second half.
"This is the first time we've been 4-0 in this league," said Head Coach Charley Toomey. "Our guys worked hard for this win and put themselves in good position with three conference games left."
The game began with a quarter completely controlled by the Hounds. After exchanging time consuming opportunities on both sides of the field and two impressive saves by Hagelin to keep the Knights off the board, freshman Matt Langan, on an assist from sophomore Cooper MacDonnell, scored the day's first goal at the 6:36 mark. In less than three minutes Loyola netted another two, the first an unassisted bullet by freshman Stephen Murray, the other from Langan, this time assisted by senior Paul Richards, for the 3-0 advantage before the end of the first quarter.
Rutgers finally catalyzed on an opportunity at the cage in the beginning of the second quarter with an unassisted goal to close the margin to 3-1. The Greyhounds, however, quickly reestablished their offensive dominance when senior Shane Koppens connected with Richards at the 10:50 mark then MacDonnell two minutes later to extended the Loyola lead to four midway through the quarter.
"We owed this game to Rutgers after last year," said Koppens in reference to Loyola's loss at Rutgers last season.
While Rutgers was able to notch another unassisted goal at the 6:50 mark for a respectable 5-2 score, the Hound offense continued to run rampant over the Knights defense. Langan netted his third of the game, while sophomore Collin Finnerty and MacDonnell followed, MacDonnell's coming with just 20 seconds left in the half, to settle the tally at 8-2 entering intermission.
The Loyola momentum would continue into the second half when the Greyhounds extended their offensive run to 5-0 with goals from junior Jake Willcox and Koppens, both unassisted.
Rutgers would snap the scoring streak at the 4:37 mark to pull within seven, but that would be the Knights' last goal of the game with Hagelin and the surrounding defense denying any of the Rutgers' attacks.
"We were ready to go from the first whistle," said Hagelin. "The team is really playing well together and it feels awesome. I think we're a confident group right now."
Another 5-0 Greyhound offensive run would then ensue, the last goal from freshman Eric Lusby with just two seconds remaining in regulation, to finalize the Loyola victory at 15-3.
The Greyhound offense was led by Koppens who recorded two goals and three assists on the day, while Langan netted three goals and teammates MacDonnell and Willcox both had two.
Meanwhile the Loyola defense continued their superiority over ECAC competitors. The Hounds forced 28 groundballs compared to Rutgers' 16 and held the Knights scoreless on all four of their extra-man opportunities. They are also now only allowing, on average, four goals per league game.
That defensive dominance and outstanding offensive performance will hopefully carry over into next week's game, an important match-up against Georgetown, the only other undefeated team left in the conference.
"We have a big game next Saturday," said Koppens. "And it's at home."
The Greyhounds faceoff against the Hoyas at 1p.m.
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