Redmen master Minutemen to claim McGill invitational lacrosse tourney
Ìý
MONTREAL - The Ï㽶ÊÓƵ men's varsity lacrosse team posted back-to-back victories last weekend to capture the sixth annual McGill invitational lacrosse tournament held at Molson Stadium. The Redmen crushed Concordia 21-8 on Saturday, before knocking off the University of Massachusetts club team 15-6 on Sunday.
Ìý
McGill midfielder Ryan Besse, a sophomore from Aurora, Ont., was named as tournament MVP, scored seven goals and added four assists in two games. He was joined on the all-tournament team by fellow Redmen Jeff O'Neill, a junior midfielder from Toronto, Christopher St-Cyr, a freshman long-stick midfielder from Fair Haven, N.J., and Ross Burst, a sophomore attacker from St. Louis, Missouri.
Ìý
"This spring tournament is an outstanding developmental opportunity for our younger players," said McGill head coach Tim Murdoch. "While we're happy to earn two wins, we're glad that the event had no serious injuries and that we capped off our off-season with some great lacrosse."
Ìý
In Saturday's opener, Redmen attacker Connor Charles, a native of fairfield, Conn., bagged five goals and one assist. Burst added two markers and five assists.
Ìý
Graduating senior Guy Fox of Glen Rock, N.J., and Simon Hudson of Seattle, Wash., split the goaltending chores. The Redmen defence was anchored by newly-elected captains, Jishan Sharples of Vancouver, B.C., and Jon Rathauser of Bell Meade, N.J., in addition to defensive midfielder Ossie Long of Sarnia, Ont.
Ìý
Concordia had a balanced attack with six different players scoring, led by two goals aoiece from Marky Kirby and Iaho Goodleaf.
Ìý
In Saturday's other semifinal, the UMASS Minutemen survived a scare from the University of Vermont club team, edging the Catamounts 11-10.ÌýÌý The 15-man Vermont squad led by a score of 9-6 in the second half but the Minutemen stormed back for an impressive come-from-behind victory.
Ìý
UMASS was paced by Jay French (3-1-4) and Brendan Eckhoff (2-1-3), while Rory O'Connor led the way for the Catamounts with a hat-trick in a losing cause.
Ìý
On Sunday, Vermont defeated Concordia 16-5 in the consolation game. ÌýUVM player-coach Justin King led the Catamount attack with three goals and an assist, supported by Garrett Riley (2-2-4) and ÌýLiam Teer (2-2-4). ÌýConcordia's Joe Thomas tallied twice.
Ìý
In the final, a sluggish Redmen squad fell flat and trailed an opportunistic UMASS squad 6-4 at halftime.Ìý The McGill starting defence was installed in the second half and blanked UMASS the rest of the way, while the Redmen offence got on track and scored 11 unanswered goals.
Ìý
Graduating seniors playing their final game for the Redmen included goaltender Guy Fox of Glen Rock, N.Y., and defender Sepp Stephens of Chapel Hill, N.C.
Ìý
Besse exploded for five goals and two assists in the outing. His final goal was a spectacular behind-the-back bounce-shot that snuck by the UMASS goalie.
Ìý
The University of Vermont Lacrosse Club and University of Massachusetts' (UMASS) 'A Club,' play in the US club spring circuits while Concordia Lacrosse is a recently formed Montreal team comprised largely of students who attended Concordia University. McGill normally plays a fall season in the Canadian University Lacrosse Association ().
Ìý
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
McGill Athletics & Communications
514-398-7012
Ìý
Ìý
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. McGill Redmen (2-0)
2. UMASS (1-1)
3. UVM (1-1)
4. Concordia (0-2)
Ìý
CHAMPIONSHIP: McGill 15, UMASS 6
CONSOLATION: Vermont 16, Concordia 5
Ìý
Ìý
2011 Tournament All-Stars
Goalie: Jason Miller (UMASS)
Defense: Pat Cronin (UMASS)
Defense: Jason Goodman (Concordia)
Defense: Jeff O'Neill (McGill)
LSM: Christopher St-Cyr (McGill)
Midfield: Ryan Besse ( McGill)
Midfield: John Farquharson (UMASS)
Midfield: Jared Johnson (UMASS)
Midfield: Parker Richmond (UVM)
Attack: ÌýRoss Burst (McGill)
Attack: Rory O'Connor (UVM)
Attack: Joe Thomas (Concordia)
Ìý
Tournament MVP:
Ryan Besse (McGill)
Ìý
Ìý
Results: DAY 2 (April 17th ):
Ìý
FINAL McGill 15, UMASS 6
Ìý
McGill scoring:
Ryan Besse: 5G, 2A
Mike Ting: 4G
Ross Burst: 2G, 2A
Jishan Sharples: 2G
Max Charness: 1G
Forest Thiessen: 1G
Ìý
UMASS scoring:
Mike Baker: 2G
Brendan Eckhoff: 2G
Phil Nash: 1G
Ryan Augustine: 1G
Kurt Boyd: 1A
Chris Ryan: 1A
Ìý
CONSOLATION UVM 16, Concordia 5
Ìý
UVM scoring:
Justin King 3G, 1A
Gerrett Riley: 2G, 2A
Liam Teer: 2G, 2A
Jon Lubas: 3G
Rory O'Connor: 2G, 1A
Nathan Turk: 2G
Ethan Mokowski: 1G
Mike Mouch: 1G
Ìý
Concordia Scoring:
Joe Thomas: 2G
Kole McCumber: 1G, 1A
Brad Clark: 1G
Lincoln Ford: 1G
Ìý
Ìý
Results: DAY 1 (April 16th ):
Ìý
FINAL McGill 21, Concordia 8
Ìý
McGill scoring:
Connor Charles 5G, 1A
Ross Burst 2G, 5A
Ryan Besse: 2G, 2A
Mike Ting 2G, 1A
Matt Behan 1G, 2A
Jishan Sharples: 2G
Ben Uveges: 2G
Nolan Prinzen: 1G, 1A
Chris Wong 1G, 1A
Will Jones: 1G
Brendan McLean: 1G
Ian Pearson: 1G
Ossie Long 1A
Ìý
Concordia scoring
22-Marky Kirby: 2G, 1A
7-Iaho Goodleaf.: 2G, 1A
8-Joe Thomas: 1G, 1A
29-Lincoln Ford: 1G
5-James Gillis: 1G
17-Costa Tsitouras 1G
Ìý
FINAL UMASS 11, UVM 10
Ìý
UMASS scoring:
22-Jay French: 3G, 1A
19-Brendan Eckhoff: 2G, 1A
44-Ryan Augustine: 1G, 2A
18-Mike Baker: 1G, 1A
8-Kurt Boyd: 1G
5-Steve Collura: 1G
15-Brendan Mumford: 1G
11-Phil Nash-1G
Ìý
UVM scoring:
26-Rory O'Connor: 3G
10-Liam Teer: 2G, 1A
6-Jon Luba: 2G, 1A
12-Justin King: 2G
15-Silas Larson: 1G, 1A
Ìý