BOX SCORE
Scranton, PA – After facing a 5-1 deficit after the first quarter of play, Marywood exploded for five straight goals in a span of 2:30 in the second period to help the Pacers rally to a 12-8 victory over visiting Hood College Saturday afternoon at the University of Scranton's Fitzpatrick Field. The Pacers notched their second straight win to open the season 2-0, while the Blazers fell to 0-5 on the young season.
The two teams traded goals early in the first quarter as Blake Rust opened the scoring for Hood by converting a Rod Hendrickson feed into the game's first goal 1:57 into the contest. The Pacers answered when Nick Parks (Emmaus, PA) scored unassisted with Marywood a man-up with 11:40 to play in the opening stanza.
However, the Blazers rattled off four straight goals to give the visitors a 5-1 lead at the end of the first period, as Jesse Jones and Alex Tkacz tallied unassisted markers before Will Oconis netted the final two goals of the period.
Marywood rallied in the second quarter and exploded for five quick goals beginning at the 9:17 mark when Will Roerden (Warwick, NY) netted his third goal of the season off an assist from his brother Brian. Stephen Klepfer (Binghamton, NY), Jamie Beagen (Patchogue, NY), Parks, and Andrew Lozoskie (Forest Hill, MD) all tallied in the next 2:30 to give the Pacers a 6-5 lead.
Dominique Shorter tied the game with 4:03 left in the quarter to knot the score at 6-6 as the teams headed into halftime.
Oconis put the Blazers ahead with a goal at the 11:44 mark of the third quarter off a dish from Jason Anderson, but Ryne Boyle (Farmingville, NY) set up Will Roerden for his second goal of the game just seven seconds later before Parks tallied again just 23 seconds after that to put Marywood ahead 8-7.
Roerden completed his hat-trick by scoring the eventual game-winner off another Boyle assist with the Pacers a man-up at the 8:12 mark of the third period. Anderson scored 42 seconds later to bring the Blazers back within one, but Boyle would set up Parks for two more goals before the end of the period to give the Pacers some breathing room.
Roerden's fourth goal of the game at the 6:53 mark of the fourth quarter was the only scoring in the final frame.
Hood out-shot the Pacers 33-30 on the afternoon, but the Pacers were dominant on face-offs, controlling 18 of the game's 24 draws.
Jesse Habich (Broomall, PA) picked up the win in his first collegiate start, after making 15 saves in the Pacers' net. Sam Hoffman took the loss for Hood despite making 10 saves.
Marywood will return to action on Sunday, March 16th when they take on Hendrix College in a non-conference game to be played at St. Anne's Belfield School in Charlottesville, Virginia. Face-off is at 10:00 a.m.
