Men's Lacrosse Outlasts VMI, 7-6, In MAAC Season Opener

Tigh Ties Career High With 4 Goals To Lead Friars

Tigh Posted A Game-High Four Goals For The Friars

March 14, 2009

LEXINGTON, VA. - The Providence College men's lacrosse team (1-4, 1-0) won a thrilling 7-6 contest over the Virginia Military Institute (1-7, 0-1) on Saturday, March 14 in Lexington, Va. The game was the MAAC season opener for both teams. Junior Colin Tigh (Garden City, N.Y.) tied a career-high with four goals and senior Bobby Labadini (Westford, Mass.) added five points on two goals and three assists for PC.

Tigh opened the scoring in the game with a goal off a good feed from Labadini to give the Friars a 1-0 lead at the 12:29 mark of the first quarter. VMI responded with three-consecutive goals and closed the first quarter holding a 3-1 advantage.

Both teams played solid defense in the second quarter, with no goals scored until the final minute of the half. With 0:41 seconds remaining in the half, sophomore Evan Helda (Charlotte, N.C.) found Labadini for a score that moved the Friars within one, 3-2, at intermission.

An unassisted goal by Tigh knotted the score at 3-3 six seconds into the third quarter but Keydet junior Tim Moran found the back of the net at the 7:07 mark of the third quarter to put VMI back on top, 4-3.

Providence outscored the Keydets 2-0 over the final seven minutes of the quarter, including scores by junior Jackson Fallon (Arlington, Mass.) and Labadini, to surge ahead 5-4 heading into the final period.

Tigh gave the Friars a two-goal advantage (6-4) early in the fourth, rifling a shot past VMI goaltender Alex Benedick with 9:37 to go in the game.

The Keydets would not go away, however, and Brett Leonard found the back of the cage with 3:42 left to move VMI back within one at 6-5.

Tigh continued his hot shooting in the final minute of the game, posting a goal with 0:46 seconds remaining to seal the victory for the Friars. A last-second score by VMI made the final score 7-6.

Senior goaltender Robert Bryan (Apex, N.C.) earned the win for the Friars and is now 1-4 on the season. Bryan played all 60:00 minutes in goal for PC, recording eight saves while allowing six goals.

Benedick allowed seven goals and made four saves for VMI in 60:00 minutes of action. Jacob Weimer led the Keydets with two goals on the day.

The Friar defense gave VMI trouble throughout the contest, as the Keydets were only 9-of-16 on clears for the game. Sophomore Bertan Unal (Potomac, Md.) led PC defensively with two ground balls and two caused turnovers.

Providence is now 7-4 in MAAC openers under Head Coach Chris Burdick.

After today's matchup, the Friars return home for a 7 p.m. non conference battle with Quinnipiac University on Wednesday, March 18. Admission is free at the Friar Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex.