April 15, 2007
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Four-goal performances from Lucius Polk (Washington, D.C./St. Albans) and Ryan Hoff (Baldwin, Md./Dulaney) along with a defensive effort that allowed only one second-half goal propelled No. 11 Notre Dame to a 14-6 win over Denver in a key Great Western Lacrosse League game on Sunday afternoon at Moose Krause Stadium. The win was the fifth in a row for the Irish and a school-record 12th straight victory at home. The Fighting Irish are off to a 3-0 start in the GWLL for the first time since 2002.
Notre Dame (8-3, 3-0) continued its trend of second half domination as the Irish out scored the Pioneers 9-1 over the final 30 minutes of play. The Irish used a solid all-around defensive effort to put the clamps on the Denver offense in the second stanza. Junior Joey Kemp (Potomac, Md./Georgetown Prep) had another big day in goal as he made 11 saves, while giving up just six goals, to earn his eighth win of the season.
The Irish trailed 5-3 late in first half before unassisted goals from Alex Wharton (Baltimore, Md./Gilman School) and Polk knotted the game 5-5 at halftime. Notre Dame continued its run with three straight goals in the third quarter. Freshman attackman Will Yeatman (San Diego, Calif./Rancho Bernardo) fed Wharton on his second score of the day before senior Brian Hubschmann (Short Hills, N.J./Delbarton) scored to make it 7-5 in favor of the Irish. Hoff completed the 5-0 run off a pass from Yeatman with 5:53 left in the third quarter. Yeatman had three assists on the day.
Denver (7-6, 2-1) ended the third quarter with a man-up goal from Gajic Ilija to make it 8-6. That would be as close as the Pioneers would get the rest of the way as Notre Dame scored all six fourth-period goals to cruise to the victory.
Polk notched his third score of the day early in the fourth period before the Irish ran off four goals in a span of two minutes to put the game out of reach. Hoff started the surge as he deposited his second goal off a Grant Krebs (Annapolis, Md./St. Mary’s) pass.
Sophomore Michael Podgajny (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) had a hand in the next two Irish tallies. The sophomore midfielder deposited his second man-up goal of the day off a pass from Hubschmann and he then assisted on Hoff’s third score to make it 12-6. Hoff and Polk would then complete their four-goal games on passes from Hubschmann, who matched a career-best total with four assists on the day. Polk’s four goals were a career-high output.
Davey Leach (Timonium, Md./Boys Latin), a sophomore midfielder, put Notre Dame up 1-0 with 11:05 left in the first quarter as he scored off a pass from Ryan Cunn (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip). Denver went on a 3-0 run behind goals from Gajic, Daniel Nickell and Joey Murray to take a two-goal lead. A man-up goal from Podgajny, off a feed from Yeatman, cut the deficit to one (3-2) at the end of the first period.
Notre Dame evened up the contest on a goal from Polk, which was assisted by Hubschmann. The next two tallies came from Denver as Murray and Charley Dickenson scored to give the Pioneers a 5-3 lead with 4:57 left in the first half.
The Fighting Irish have out scored their opponents 69-30 in the second half this season. Notre Dame held a 36-28 advantage in shots and a 46-41 edge in ground balls. Denver goaltender Jeb Hollingsworth picked up the loss as he allowed 14 goals and made 12 saves.
Yeatman leads the Irish with 36 points on 18 goals and 18 assists, while Hoff has a team-high 28 goals.
Notre Dame will wrap up its home portion of the 2007 schedule next Saturday (April 21) as the Irish take on Lehigh in a non-conference showdown at Moose Krause Stadium. Game time is scheduled for 12 noon (ET).
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Denver (7-6, 2-1) – 3 2 1 0 – 6
#11 Notre Dame (8-3, 3-0) – 2 3 3 6 – 14
Denver Scoring (goals-assists):
Joey Murray 2-1, Ilija Gajic 2-0, Charley Dickenson 1-2, Daniel Nickell 1-0, Ryan Zordani 0-1; Goaltender: Jeb Hollingsworth (L, 60:00, 12 saves, 14 GA)
Notre Dame Scoring (goals-assists):
Ryan Hoff 4-0, Lucius Polk 4-0, Michael Podgajny 2-1, Alex Wharton 2-0, Brian Hubschmann 1-4, Davey Leach 1-0, Will Yeatman 0-3, Ryan Cunn 0-1, Grant Krebs 0-1; Goaltender: Joey Kemp (W, 60:00, 11 saves, 6 GA)