USAFA, Colo. - A career day for senior David Rose (Allentown, Pa.) helped lead the Air Force lacrosse team to an 8-7 overtime victory over Providence Tuesday afternoon at Cadet Lacrosse Stadium. Rose, who had scored two career goals entering today’s contest, notched five against Providence, including the gamewinner with 1:42 remaining in the extra period. The Falcons, playing in their season opener, started the year at 1-0, while the Friars fell to 0-2, with both losses coming in overtime.
Air Force got on the board early in the contest with an unassisted score from junior K.J. Landgraf (Cordova, Md.), while Providence’s Devin McBride tied the score at 1-1 with 4:30 remaining in the first quarter. Another score from McBride in the second period gave the Friars their first lead of the game before freshman Tristan Newkirk (Albany, N.Y.) tied it back up for the Falcons with an assist from Jack Parchman (Sr., Baltimore, Md.). With 1:18 remaining in the opening half, Providence scored once more to take a 3-2 lead.
More than eight minutes went by in the third period before either team scored, as Rose notched his first goal of the game, on a feed from junior Griffin Nevitt (Charlottle, N.C.) to tie the game once more. Again, the Friars had a response, scoring at the 4:44 mark in the period, but the Falcons came right back with two more scores from Rose. Just 16 seconds after an assisted goal from long-stick midfielder Dan Gnazzo (Jr., Eden Prairie, Minn.), Rose scored an unassisted man-up goal to give Air Force the 5-4 advantage going into the fourth quarter.
Rose continued his streak in the fourth quarter, scoring with 10:33 remaining in regulation, while junior Brian Massa (Jamesville, N.Y.) gave the Falcons a three-goal cushion just over two minutes later. However, Providence went on a run, scoring three unanswered goals, including a man-up score with just one minute left in the fourth period. With neither team able to score in the waning moments, the contest went into overtime.
Following a strong defensive stand, Air Force called a timeout to set up its offense. The strategy worked, as Rose was again able to go in for an unassisted score with 1:42 to play, giving the Falcons the 8-7 win.
Newcomer Brian Wilson (Summit, N.J.) recorded seven saves in goal for the Falcons, while Gnazzo was stout on defense, causing three turnovers, including one in overtime to set up Air Force’s winning possession.
Air Force is back in action this weekend, March 1, when they head to West Point, N.Y., to face service academy rival Army. The game, slated to begin at 12:00 p.m. (ET), will be held at Michie Stadium.
Air Force 8, Providence 7 (OT)
Air Force Scoring:
Goals: David Rose 5, K.J. Landgraf, Tristan Newkirk, Brian Massa. Assists: Jack Parchman, Griffin Nevitt, Dan Gnazzo.
Providence Scoring:
Goals: Devin McBride 3, Henry Pynchon, Mike Feldberg, Mark Dillon, Jackson Fallon. Assists: Jackson Fallon 2, Mark Dillon, Bennett Murphy, Danny Ryan.
