JUPITER, Fla. –– Despite holding a 3-2 lead late in the first quarter, Palm Beach Atlantic (4-3) relented the lead and game to No. 4 Grand Valley State, 19-8. Senior Joe Ciringione led all Sailfish in scoring with one goal and three assists, while senior Bobby Hantske picked up the hat trick.
Grand Valley State (2-0) came into the game following a 27-1 rout of Emory University, but were stymied early by the Sailfish defense. Palm Beach Atlantic met a 1-0 Lakers lead on a man-up goal by Jesse Vanatta (Springfield, Va./West Springfield). The 'Fish would match another GVSU goal on an unassisted dodge and score from senior attackman Joe Ciringione (Merrick, N.Y./Sanford H. Calhoun), tying the game at 2 apiece.
With 3:17 remaining in the first quarter, a Ciringione feed set up senior Bobby Hantske (Annapolis, Md./Southern) to give Palm Beach Atlantic a 3-2 lead.
The Lakers regained the lead, and expanded on it, before senior defenseman Branden Bernstein (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Palm Beach Gardens) assisted Hantske for the fourth Sailfish goal of the night. Hantske scored again just 32 seconds later, this time from sophomore Colin Price (Fairfax Station, Va./Lake Braddock).
A goal from junior Dennis Koleda (Huntington, N.Y./Harborfields) trimmed the GVSU advantage to 11-6 in the third quarter; this is as close as Palm Beach Atlantic would get the rest of the way. In the fourth quarter, the Sailfish netted three goals in 52 seconds, including one more from Vanatta and two from midfielder Dave Schultz (Annapolis, Md./St. Mary's).
The Sailfish return to action on Tuesday, March 6 at 7 p.m. against the No. 5 St. John's Johnnies (2-0), in the 2012 Sailfish Shootout. Follow Palm Beach Atlantic men's lacrosse on Twitter (@PBALacrosse) for more details and live-score updates of all Sailfish Shootout games.
Game Notes:
–With the 18-9 loss, Palm Beach Atlantic is now 0-1 all-time versus the Grand Valley State University.
–Senior attackman Joe Ciringione leads all Sailfish in points scored with forty-four (4). Sophomore attackman Colin Price leads in goals scored with twenty-eight (28).
–The Sailfish finished with two minutes in total penalty time, a season low.
–Palm Beach Atlantic was 3-for-5 on extra-man opportunities (60%).
–Palm Beach Atlantic finished 16/26 on clears (62%).
–Palm Beach Atlantic finished 14/31 on face-offs (45%).