Lourdes rallied from a three-goal deficit entering the final quarter to force overtime on Wednesday evening, but Siena Heights scored the game-winner with one-second remaining in the extra session to defeat the Gray Wolves 10-9 at O'Laughlin Stadium in Adrian, Mich.
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"It is usually a tight game and tonight was no different," head coach
Patrick Yannarelli said afterwards. "We did many things well but came up short and are looking forward to fixing a few things. The guys are continuing to come together as a team."
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The game was the third overtime contest between the two schools in the last five meetings.
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The ninth-ranked Saints took the early lead with the only two goals of the opening quarter and led 3-0 before
Danny Benson (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View H.S.) put the Gray Wolves on the scoreboard with 4:22 to play in the second quarter. The two sides then traded goals, with
Nick Johnson (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg H.S.) and
Drew Gilhooly (Livonia, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central H.S.) tallying markers for the Gray Wolves as Siena Heights took a 6-3 lead into intermission.
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Clay Hall (Great Mills, Md./Saint Mary's Ryken H.S.) opened the scoring in the third and
Chad Causley (Clinton Township, Mich./L'Anse Creuse H.S.) added another for the Gray Wolves in the period, but Lourdes still trailed 8-5 heading into the final 15 minutes of action.
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Causley and Campbell scored within three minutes of one another to pull Lourdes within one and Benson's second tally of the game tied the contest at eight with 7:07 to play. Campbell's third goal with 4:11 remaining in regulation put the Gray Wolves in front for the first time on the night, 9-8.
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Siena Heights (6-4, 3-2 WHAC) tied the game with 2:19 to play in the fourth, before Stosh Kowalski scored the game-winner for the Saints with one tick left on the clock at the end of the overtime period.
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Lourdes outshot Siena Heights 39-36 for the game, including 32-15 on goal, but the Saints' goalkeeper Vinnie Jean made 23 stops in the cage.Â
Tyler Hart (Brighton, Mich./Brighton H.S.) made five saves for the Gray Wolves.
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The Gray Wolves also held a 42-26 edge in ground balls, with
Jake Noel (Knoxville, Tenn./William Blount H.S.) picking up 18 in the game. Noel also won 18 of the 20 faceoffs he took on the night.
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Lourdes (6-4, 2-3) will remain on the road Saturday evening, traveling to third-ranked Indiana Tech. The opening faceoff is set for 6 p.m. at Warrior Athletic Field in Fort Wayne, Ind.
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