COLUMBUS, Ohio — University of Massachusetts men's lacrosse stormed back from a three-goal deficit late in the third quarter and finished the game with a five-goal run as the Minutemen rallied for a 9-7 win over No. 10 Ohio State at Ohio Stadium on Saturday.
Sophomore attack Gabriel Procyk registered his ninth career hat-trick while senior midfielder Jeff Trainor added two goals and an assist. Senior attack Devin Spencer, junior attack Chris Connolly, junior midfielder Kevin Tobin and his brother, freshman midfielder Mike Tobin, each scored a goal as freshman Matt Knote made 14 saves to put the Gorillas on top.
Trainor finds Procyk for the lead!
— UMass Men's Lacrosse (@UMassMLacrosse) February 15, 2020
Gorillas up 8-7.#GorillaLacrosse x #Flagship pic.twitter.com/0MZbNyJ1q0
Freshman Zack Hochman won 8-of-16 faceoffs and picked up a game-high six groundballs. Junior close defenseman Sam Eisenstadt, senior close defenseman Jackson Suboch and freshman midfielder Jake Dulac each picked up three groundballs while Mike Tobin led the Gorillas with two caused turnovers.
Down 7-5 headed into the fourth quarter after Massachusetts allowed five Ohio State goals in the third, the Minutemen stifled the Buckeyes' offense and compiled a four-goal run that capped off the comeback effort. Procyk and Trainor alternated goals during the quarter, while Knote made two saves and Ohio State committed five turnovers in the frame.
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After a scoreless first quarter in which Knote turned away five shots, Grant Mitchell struck first for Ohio State with 13 minutes, 42 seconds left in the second. Less than a minute later Mike Tobin picked off a Buckeyes pass and took it the length of the field to score his first collegiate goal.
After Connor Mitchell's goal to put the Buckeyes back in front, 2-1, Connolly and Spencer scored 71 seconds apart to give the Minutemen a 3-2 lead heading into the half.
Tre Leclaire evened it at 3-all in the opening minute of the third quarter, followed by a second Connor Mitchell goal as Ohio State struck back in front, 4-3 with 11:42 to go in the frame. The Buckeyes' lead did not last as Procyk stopped the run courtesy a Kevin Tobin assist.
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After Procyk's first tally of the day, the Buckeyes put together a three-goal run before Kevin Tobin stopped the Buckeyes streak with 23 seconds left in the third as Ohio State turned its one-goal deficit into a 7-5 advantage headed into the fourth.
Massachusetts (1-1) will host Harvard on Garber Field in Amherst, Massachusetts on Sat., Feb. 22. Faceoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.
