Posted: Mar 19, 2022
Jackets Take Down Gamecocks
Georgia Tech
(7-2, 3-0)
12
South Carolina
(3-3, 2-1)
8
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Georgia Tech (7-2, 3-0) | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 12 |
|
South Carolina (3-3, 2-1) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket Lacrosse Team traveled to Columbia, South Carolina to take on the the South Carolina Gamecocks. The game featured two top ten programs looking for a signature win and an SELC region win. The game was played under threatening skies but the storms stayed away.
The Gamecocks drew first blood as they were able to corral a loose ball and score on an empty net and were able to score a second time as the Jackets looked to find their footing. Freshman Asher Wagnon responded to the 2-0 deficit scoring twice on dodges from the right wing. The Jackets got another possession and Brooks Baro found a cutting Zach Schenken for an inside finish to give the Jackets their first lead of the game.
The lead did not last long as the Gamecocks scored two straight goals to regain the lead at 4-3. Pierce Quarles found Sam Eck for a goal to knot the game at 4. Eck would score again, this time on a feed from Brooks Baro to put the Jackets in front once again. The Gamecocks answered once more to tie the game at halftime.
The Jackets scored on their first possession of the second half on a sweep from Sam Eck who got to the middle of the field before burying a shot. Freshman Nick Eliacin got in the board to to give the Jackets their first two goal lead of the game. The Gamecocks would cut the lead in half shortly thereafter not letting the Jackets get comfortable. Tech was able to capitalize on an extra man opportunity when Pierce Quarles fed Nick Eliacin inside to push the lead back to two to close the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter the Gamecocks answered with an extra man goal of their own. The Gamecocks won the ensuing faceoff and were able to tie the game at 8. The game was now on the line in the back and forth affair with neither team sustaining an advantage for long in a test of wills between two programs with a lot of pride. A critical point.
The Jackets rose up and steadied themselves to stop the momentum that the Gamecocks had established. Sam Eck answered once again for the Jackets with an outside shot that found the back of the net. The Gamecocks at this point began to commit several penalties that helped give the Jackets a possession advantage. Pierce Quarles scored his first goal of the game on one of the extra man opportunities to give the Jackets a 10-8 lead. Sam Eck found the back of the net for his fifth goal of the game to put the Jackets ahead 11-8. As the game entered its final stages and the Gamecocks pulled their goalie to double the ball, Sam Eck found a cutting Nick Witten who finished on the empty net to give the Jackets their biggest lead of the game at 12-8. Tech was able to close out the game and get the win 12-8.
The Yellow Jacket defense was stingy throughout the game playing strong team defense despite a decided faceoff advantage for South Carolina. The Jackets forced South Carolina into several shot clock violations and harassed the Gamecock ball carriers. Short stick defensive midfielder Will Marshall was strong all night and was key in the clearing game for the Jackets. Goalie Gino Pagliaro came up with numerous big saves turning away the potent Gamecock attack.
