Men's Lacrosse

Rick Mackessy scored two goals and added one assist against Gettysburg on Saturday. The senior middie led DU in points with 66 (29g-37a).

With 1:59 left to play in the game's first overtime, Gettysburg's Ben Sufrin ended the Denison Big Red's magical 2008 season with his unassisted, game-winning goal, lifting the Bullets to a come from behind, 8-7 victory over Denison in the second round of the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship.

Denison, who led most of the way, broke a 6-6 tie with 3:41 left in regulation after Rick Mackessy (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) scored his second goal of the game.  After a shot by Sufrin was saved by DU goalie Alex Baruch (Richmond, Va./St. Christopher's), Denison had the ball and a chance to potentially run out the clock with just under two minutes left.  Following a successful Denison clear, Gettysburg's Andrew McGann would strip the ball away from a DU middie and trigger a successful clear for the Bullets.  After no more than 20 seconds of offense, Gettysburg's Joe Brody came from the left side of the field and went high and to the right of Baruch, tying the game at 7-7 with 1:03 to play.

Despite Gettysburg's face-off win, Denison would get the ball back quickly after a Bullet turnover by goalie Zachary Furshman and with 30 seconds remaining the Big Red's top scorer, Brady Burton (Dublin, Ohio/Jerome), got an excellent look from 10 yards out only to be turned away by Furshman.

In overtime Gettysburg took the face-off but committed a turnover 15 seconds later.  Denison took the bakk to their third of the field but could not get a shot attempt as Gettysburg took over possession with 2:45 left in OT.  Forty-six seconds later Sufrin would end one of the most successful seasons in Denison history with his unassisted goal, propelling his Bullets into the NCAA quarterfinals.

Coming to an end was Denison's 11-game winning streak which dated back to March 26.  Two of Denison's three losses on the season came at the hands of Gettysburg who improved to 16-2 with the win.  Denison's season comes to a close at 14-3.  The 14 victories is the second most in DU history, trailing only the 15 victories in 1982. 

Baruch kept up his dynamite play between the pipes this afternoon, posting 13 saves highlighted by six stops in the first quarter while facing 12 shots from Gettysburg.  Baruch's play early on set the tone for Big Red offense to settle in the game and nearly force the upset.  The four-year starter leaves Denison with 558 career saves and a .619 career save percentage after making 56 starts in goal.

The Denison offense was led by Mackessy who scored two goals and added one assist off a Burton goal early in the fourth quarter.  Burton also chipped in two goals for the Big Red.  The second-year attack will enter his junior season with 99 career goals in just 32 games played.

Conner Detjen (Winnetka, Ill./New Trier) was 9-for-17 in the circle and five different players each posted two ground balls to lead the Big Red.  Gettysburg outshot DU 34-25 and was +8 in the ground ball category.

The bullets was led by Sufrin and Kyle Mcgrath's hat trick.  Tom O'Donnell assisted on two goals in the second half.  Furshman recorded eight saves and Tim Stanton was 8-for-18 in face-offs.

Gettysburg will advance to the NCAA's round of eight where they will face the winner of the Lynchburg/Washington (Md.) match that will take place on Sunday (May 11).