Mar. 19th, 2004 - #1 Colorado State Uses 9-1 Second Quarter to Put Away #20 Chico 20-3
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2004
Colorado State Men's Lacrosse
Bellvue, WA - The Colorado State Rams and Chico State Wildcats had only met once before on the lacrosse field, but that was in the fall of 2002 in the Las Vegas Best of the West Tournament. On a night that featured intermittent rain throughout the game, the Rams and the Wildcats squared off in their first ever regular season meeting at Bellvue HS in Bellvue, WA.
Chico came into the first of their three Pacific Northwest games ranked #20 and trying to dethrone a #1 Colorado State team that had won 9 games on the young season. The Wildcats played a very inspired first quarter and trailed only 1-0, but wave after wave of CSU offensive firepower slowly buried Chico and Colorado State ran away with a 20-3 victory.
Even though there was only one first quarter goal by both teams, the lacrosse was not at all sloppy. Chico made the Rams work for their opportunities by sliding early and throwing numerous checks, but CSU kept the ball for the majority of the period. Chico goalie Blake Wahrlick (7 saves) was solid in the first quarter, making four stops.
Once again, Colorado State exploded in the second period. Chico's Matt Bissell (2 assists) was flagged for an illegal stick penalty at the start of the quarter to put his team man-down for three minutes. The Rams made quick work of their chance to get on top of the Wildcats and scored two goals within thirty seconds to make the game 3-0. Then, just after the man-up expired, the Rams scored again when Pat Bird (Bishop O'Dowd HS, CA) scored on a feed from Danny Stevens (Suffern HS, NY) on what proved to be the game winning goal.
Dave Clark (Cherry Creek HS, CO) continued his excellent play from the face-off 'x' by winning 16 of 23 draws. He was aided by a superhuman effort from long stick midfielder Mark Plonkey (Golden HS, CO), who scooped up a game and season high 14 groundballs. Plonkey played perhaps his most complete game of the season, owning the middle of the field and starting up offensive possessions. Plonkey got 1 assist and 0 penalties to go along with his 14 grounders.
Tim Farquhar (Collegiate HS, VA) was a force as a midfielder, scoring 4 goals and adding 1 assist for a five point effort. Nick Stanitz-Harper (Eaglecrest HS, CO) also had five points as he scored 3 goals and 2 assists. All in all, this was Colorado State's best game since the Colorado College effort.
Colorado State's nine goal second quarter was punctuated when midfielder Derek Koll (Fort Collins HS, CO) took his defender from the right side of the goal and stuffed a shot to the short side to make the score 10-1 at the half. Thomas Robinson (Memphis University School, TN) also scored two goals in the crucial second quarter run.
Every time Chico scored, the Rams had an answer. CSU's defense was stellar again behind a solid effort from all of the longpoles. Pete Jokisch (Rockhurst Jesuit, KS) had ten saves.
CSU won the final two quarters 4-1 and 6-1 respectively to effectively ice the game. Bo Everett (Golden HS, CO) had a breakout game by scoring 2 goals and 2 assists. Once again, the Rams got thirteen scorers in the scorebook.
CSU (10-0) now reaches the stretch run of their long road trip when they take on the host Washington Huskies on Friday before a game against the #12 Simon Fraser Clan on Saturday. Chico (6-3) will play Gonzaga and Washington before heading back home to finish up WCLL play.
Game Notes:
- Despite being in the Pacific Northwest, the game against Chico was the first that saw rain. Considering CSU's last Spring Break trip to Florida that saw two games rained out, the Rams got out of the Pacific Northwest fairly lucky with regard to weather. The games against UW and SFU will be played indoors on Washington's campus.
- Mark Plonkey now has 4 goals and 4 assists on the season, good for eight points.
- Everett's 4 points was a season high.
- Matt Johns continued his hot streak, scoring a goal in his third straight game.
- Colorado State got everyone on the roster in the game again. Except for the game against Sonoma, the Rams have been able to play everyone who traveled with the team for this road trip in every other game.
Goals by Quarters:
CSU: 1 - 9 - 4 - 6 = 20
CHICO: 0 - 1 - 1 - 1 = 3
Goals:
CSU Farquhar (4), Stanitz-Harper (3), Johnson, Koll, Bird, Robinson and Everett (2), Johns, Stevens (1)
CHICO Poor, Webber, Garrison (1)
Assists:
CSU Stanitz-Harper and Everett (2), Johnson, Koll, Clark, Plonkey, Farquhar, Robinson, Chorey and Stevens (1)
CHICO Bissell (2)
Goaltenders:
CSU Jokisch (50:00 minutes, 10 saves, 3 goals against), Fitzgerald (5:00 minutes, 0 saves, 0 goals against), Bisnette (5:00 minutes, 1 saves, 0 goals against)
CHICO Wahrlick (60:00 minutes, 7 saves, 20 goals against)
Face-Offs Won:
CSU 17/26
CHICO 9/26
Shots:
CSU 42
CHICO 26
Ground Balls:
CSU 54
CHICO 22
Extra Man:
CSU 3/5
CHICO 2/3
Penalties:
CSU 3 for 2:00
CHICO 5 for 6:00
Attendance: 45