Sunday - Western over NYC 8-6

July 29, 2007 - The Western-NYC game score of 8-6 doesn't adequately reflect how the game was played. Western scored the only two goals of the first and the only two goals of the second for a 4-0 lead going entering halftime. Although, NYC made a hard-fought comeback they never took the lead.

The first goal of the game was not scored until 4:24 remaining in the first when Matt Pierotti scored, assisted by Casey Rich. The second goal was scored by Joe Resetarits (assisted by Cade Norris). The first quarter was controlled by Western, and although they didn't’t take many shots, they scored on both shots that hit the cage and the game seemed squarely in their control.

The second quarter was similar to the first with Western scoring the only two goals. Connor Henderson scored from a pass by Resetarits feed and then Resetarits scored another one by himself. Resetarits had two goals and one assist in the first three goals. Western took a 4-0 lead into the half-time break.

Western continued their lead, scoring their fifth goal with 7:27 left in the third when Matt Pierotti scored with an assist from Connor Rice who scored his first point in the tournament.

New York City took the next two quarters and scored four straight goals to take the game to within one point at 5-4. Scott Margolis scored two goals and Anthony Adler added one goal and one assist. The final goal was scored by Julian Muskiant.

In the fourth quarter Western midfielder Mitch Keefer scored the first midfield goal for Western during the game and it extended the score to 6-4. New York’s Margolis came back with his third goal to take the score 6-5. Casey Rich scored the next goal, followed shortly thereafter by Henderson’s second goal (with an assist from Rice). With 0:15 left Forest Sonnenfeldt scored the final New York City goal.

Of interest was the fact that Mitch Keefer’s goal was the lone Western goal that did not come from an attackman and Forest Sonnenfeldt’s score was the lone NYC goal not to come from the midfield.

The NYC goalies, who up to this game have been a strong asset, struggled in this game, each making only 1 save (Brockway 5 goals against, Feldberg 4 goals against). Scott Bement and Jonathon Lawless were slated to split at the half (and started that way) but as the score got closer the Western coaches decided to put Bement back into the game. Lawless finished having faced 7 shots and making 3 saves. Bement finished the game with 2 saves and 2 goals against (his best performance of the tournament).

The face-offs were split equally with each team winning 9.

In most of their games in the tournament the NYC team led and then found it difficult to hold on during a late push by their opponents. In this game, however, it was NYC making the drive but Western was able to hold them off keeping their hope for a medal alive.

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