Men’s Lacrosse advances past Bowdoin, 20-14, in NCAA Quarterfinals

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT senior attackman Quinn Commandant totaled four goals and an assist to lead the Tigers to a 20-14 victory over Bowdoin in the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament Quarterfinals, Saturday, at RIT Turf Field.
 
RIT (20-1) advances to Sunday’s national semifinal game at 3:00 p.m. and will host Tufts with a berth in next Sunday’s national championship game on the line.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Commandant scored off an assist from graduate student face-off specialist Jimmy Spillane five seconds into the game, before Bowdoin rebounded to take a 3-1 lead with 10:49 on the first-quarter clock. 
• Commandant and junior attackman Luke Pilcher tallied goals in a 42-second span to tie the game, 3-3, with 9:00 on the clock. Bowdoin tallied at 4:45 before goals by Commandant and sophomore midfielder Seth Grottenthaler scored 53 seconds apart for a 5-4 Tiger lead with 3:06 left in the first.
• Bowdoin retied the game with 1:42 on the clock before Tiger junior LSM Joe Camp scored with 22 seconds left in the period to put RIT on top, 6-5, heading into the second period.
• RIT opened the second quarter with six-straight goals, including two goals by sophomore midfielder John Mozrall, to take a 12-5 lead with 5:10 on the clock. Bowdoin stopped the run with a goal at 4:19, but Pilcher found the net with 2:50 remaining in the half for a 13-5 Tiger lead at halftime.
• RIT scored four unanswered goals in the third quarter to extend to a 17-6 lead which proved insurmountable.
• Bowdoin’s Patrick Fitzgerald scored four of the Polar Bear’s eight fourth-quarter goals.
• Pilcher and senior midfielder Zeb Hollinger each scored for RIT in the fourth quarter.

 
GAME NOTES:

• RIT fired 48 shots, including 29 on target.
• The Tigers went 21-of-25 on clearing attempts and caused 12 turnovers.
• Pilcher finished with three goals Mozrall and Hollinger each had a goal and an assist.
• Junior LSM Joe Camp and sophomore midfielder Seth Grottenthaler each scored a pair of goals.
• Senior goalie Drew Hutchison made 14 saves in net to improve to 20-1 on the season.
• Sophomore defenseman Mike Grace caused three turnovers and had three ground balls.
• Spillane won 13-of-21 draws and led the Tigers with 10 ground balls.
• Will Byrne led Bowdoin with three goals and three assists, while Fitzgerald finished with four goals.
• Robert Hobbs made nine saves in net for the Polar Bears.
• The defending Division III National Champion Tigers are making their 12th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and 23rd in program history.
• Sunday will be the Tigers 13th national semifinal appearance. RIT also remains in the mix for their fourth national championship game appearance (2021, 2017, 2013).

WHAT’S NEXT:
RIT will host Tufts on Sunday (May 22) at 3:00 P.M. in the NCAA Semifinal.