HOBOKEN, N.J. (April 3, 2010) – Sophomore attackman Alex Hofrichter scored four goals and handed out one assist to lead the Stevens Institute of Technology men's lacrosse team to a 10-4 win over Alfred University on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon at the De Baun Athletic Complex in Hoboken, N.J. Junior goalkeeper Dave Decker and the Stevens defense held the Saxons to one first-half goal in the win.
The first half did not see many great chances for either team as a total of just four goals were scored, and the Ducks (6-3 overall, 2-0 Empire 8) took a 3-1 lead into the locker room.
Hofrichter tallied 1:27 into the game and then again just 1:59 later. The Saxons got on the board with 4:45 left in the first quarter and the two teams played scoreless lacrosse for the next 12:29 before Hofrichter rang the bell for the third time in the first half to give Stevens a 3-1 edge.
The Ducks ended the half with a 20-15 edge in shots and a 13-12 advantage in ground balls. Decker made six saves for Stevens, while his counterpart Tim Doyle (Macedon, N.Y.) stopped eight shots.
Each team tallied before one minute had elapsed in the third quarter, but the Ducks embarked on a 6-0 spurt over 15:29 to put the game away. Hofrichter started the run with his fourth of the game after a nice feed from junior Blair Koontz, and Koontz then followed 3:09 later with his first of the contest. Freshman Harrison Dorne notched his first career goal to put the Ducks up 7-2 with 9:45 left in the third. Dorne's goal was also assisted by Koontz. Senior Alex Couture and junior Brandon Faubert closed out the third-quarter scoring, and junior Taylor Brown netted the third goal of his 2010 season to close the Ducks' scoring.
Freshman Eric Jelen (Nanuet, N.Y.) and senior Mike Russo (Mattydale, N.Y.) scored the final two goals of the game for Alfred.
Stevens ended with a 36-30 edge in shots and a 34-24 ground-ball advantage. Decker finished with nine saves and Doyle stopped 13 Stevens shots.
Senior captain Bobby Steinhauser won 10-of-16 face-offs and was credited with a game-high eight ground balls. As a team, the Ducks won 11 of the 18 total face-offs.
Junior captain Zach McHugh and sophomore Kevin Rose each picked up four ground balls for the Ducks, while sophomores Will Thiede and Jacob Messimer each caused a pair of Saxon turnovers. Freshman Sean Phelan also scooped up three groundballs and caused a turnover. Faubert, Couture, Hofrichter, Brown, and Koontz all had multiple points for the Ducks.
Alfred (3-5 overall, 0-2 Empire 8) was led by Russo and his two goals and Chris Frauenhofer's (Hamburg, N.Y.) five ground balls and two caused turnovers.
Stevens will return to action on April 7 at Hartwick College. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m.
