HOBOKEN, N.J. – Sophomore attack Joe Van Sickle (Hampton, N.J./Peddie School) scored five goals and sophomore midfielder Alex Richards (Beaverton, Ore./Century) added four goals to power seventh-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology to a 21-8 win over Montclair State in the championship game of the Knickerbocker Lacrosse Conference tournament on Saturday at DeBaun Field.

Stevens (13-2), which earned its 10th straight win, captured its fifth consecutive Knickerbocker title and earned the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship.  The Ducks also extended their winning streak against Knickerbocker opponents to 38 games dating to the 2000 season.  Montclair State falls to 9-7.

Stevens started fast, scoring five consecutive goals in the first 6:20.  Van Sickle gave the Ducks the lead on their opening possession, finishing off a pass from sophomore Patrick Bailey (Manassas, Va./Osborne Park) at the 14:21 mark.  Juniors Nick Mabunay (Sparta, N.J./Pope John XXIII) and Jay Wells (Shaftsbury, Vt./Mount Anthony Union) followed with goals in a span of 39 seconds.  Van Sickle and Richards connected at 9:33 and 8:40 respectively as Stevens jumped out to a 5-0 lead.

After sophomore midfielder Evan Wehmeyer (Succasunna, N.J./Pope John XXIII) got Montclair State on the board with an extra-man goal with 8:19 left in the first, Stevens ran off seven straight goals by seven different players to extend its lead to 12-1.  The Ducks led 16-4 at halftime.

Stevens held a 60-36 advantage in shots and a commanding 26-6 advantage in faceoffs won.  Wells, who scored three goals, won 21 of 25 faceoffs and picked up 14 ground balls.  Mabunay and Bailey also scored three goals while freshman attack John Dolny (Mountain Lakes, N.J./Mountain Lakes) had a goal and five assists.  With 45 assists on the season, Dolny shattered the Stevens single-season record of 41 set by Hank Berry in 1966.

Montclair State received three goals from senior attack Sean Pekarsky (Clifton, N.J./Clifton) along with two goals and one assist from junior attack John Della Pesca (Fair Lawn, N.J./Fair Lawn).  Freshman goalie Thomas Bowers (Hamburg, N.J./Pope John XXIII) stopped 16 shots for the Red Hawks.

Stevens is back in action on Saturday, May 7, when it travels to Delaware, Ohio, for a 2 p.m. regular-season game against Ohio Wesleyan University.  NCAA Championship pairings will be announced on Sunday, May 8.

STEVENS 21, MONTCLAIR STATE 8

SCORING SUMMARY:

    Prd  Time Team     Type Goal Scorer              Assist

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1.  1st 14:21 SIT      EVEN Van Sickle, Joe          Bailey, Patrick

2.  1st 12:33 SIT      EVEN Mabunay, Nick            Unassisted

3.  1st 11:54 SIT      EVEN Wells, Jay               Unassisted

4.  1st  9:33 SIT      EVEN Van Sickle, Joe          Dolny, John

5.  1st  8:40 SIT      UP   Richards, Alex           Unassisted

6.  1st  8:19 MSU      UP   Evan Wehmeyer            John Della Pesca

7.  1st  6:13 SIT      EVEN Pascone, Stephen         Unassisted

8.  1st  4:56 SIT      EVEN Wells, Jay               Dolny, John

9.  1st  0:13 SIT      EVEN Bailey, Patrick          Dolny, John

10. 2nd 13:19 SIT      EVEN Richards, Alex           Unassisted

11. 2nd 13:04 SIT      EVEN Dolny, John              Sinicola, Chris

12. 2nd 12:07 SIT      EVEN Mabunay, Nick            Van Sickle, Joe

13. 2nd 10:31 SIT      UP   Oreskovich, J.R.         Dolny, John

14. 2nd  9:57 MSU      DN   Brian Fischer            Unassisted

15. 2nd  8:02 MSU      UP   Sean Pekarsky            Kevin Gondres

16. 2nd  3:54 SIT      EVEN Van Sickle, Joe          Unassisted

17. 2nd  3:01 SIT      EVEN Bailey, Patrick          Unassisted

18. 2nd  2:50 SIT      EVEN Wells, Jay               Unassisted

19. 2nd  0:46 SIT      EVEN Richards, Alex           Unassisted

20. 2nd  0:10 MSU      EVEN Sean Pekarsky            Unassisted

21. 3rd 14:18 MSU      EVEN Sean Pekarsky            Unassisted

22. 3rd 11:27 SIT      EVEN Van Sickle, Joe          Benson, Rich

23. 3rd  8:49 SIT      EVEN Mabunay, Nick            Richards, Alex

24. 3rd  6:16 SIT      EVEN Richards, Alex           Unassisted

25. 3rd  5:20 SIT      EVEN Bailey, Patrick          Unassisted

26. 3rd  4:44 SIT      EVEN Van Sickle, Joe          Dolny, John

27. 3rd  2:23 MSU      EVEN John Della Pesca         Bryan Klimchak

28. 3rd  1:39 MSU      EVEN Kevin Gondres            Matt Sharp

29. 4th 14:36 MSU      EVEN John Della Pesca         Dave Armstrong

Montclair State SCORING:

GOALS: Sean Pekarsky 3; John Della Pesca 2; Kevin Gondres 1;

Brian Fischer 1; Evan Wehmeyer 1.

ASSISTS: Dave Armstrong 1; John Della Pesca 1; Kevin Gondres 1;

Bryan Klimchak 1; Matt Sharp 1.

Stevens SCORING:

GOALS: Van Sickle, Joe 5; Richards, Alex 4; Bailey, Patrick 3;

Wells, Jay 3; Mabunay, Nick 3; Dolny, John 1; Pascone, Stephen 1;

Oreskovich, J.R. 1.

ASSISTS: Dolny, John 5; Bailey, Patrick 1; Benson, Rich 1;

Richards, Alex 1; Sinicola, Chris 1; Van Sickle, Joe 1.