COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Saint Joseph's College (3-3) came up just short in a back-and-forth non-conference matchup on Thursday afternoon, falling to Calvin University (6-0), 11-8, at Washburn Field on the Colorado College campus.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Calvin struck first with a goal 1:27 after the opening face-off, but graduate student Jack Leach (Pembroke, Mass.) answered with Saint Joseph's first tally of the day to even the score at 1-1 just over four minutes later. The Knights hit pay dirt again in the closing minute of the quarter to take a 2-1 edge into the second.

The Monks battled back in the second quarter pulled even when sophomore Noah Schaeffer (Gray, Maine) tied the game at 2-2 off an assist from senior David Cook (Upton, Mass.). After Calvin scored three straight goals to build a 5-2 advantage, junior Brandon Cavicchi (Kingston, Mass.) and Cook answered with late markers to trim the deficit to 5-4 at halftime.

Saint Joseph's continued to push in the third quarter and drew level again when Cavicchi scored his second goal of the afternoon at the 12:58 mark, making it a 5-5 contest. Calvin responded with the final two goals of the period to regain momentum and carry a 7-5 lead into the fourth.

In the final quarter, Cavicchi struck once more to make it a two-goal game at 8-6, but Calvin answered with three of the next four goals to open an 11-6 cushion. The Monks kept battling to the end and got late scores from freshman Aidan Byrne (West Newbury, Mass.) and junior Nicolas Michaud (Wales, Maine) in the final 40 seconds, but the comeback bid ran out of time.

STATS OF THE GAME:

Calvin held the edge in shots (47-29), shots on goal (24-19), ground balls (37-31), and faceoffs (13-11). Saint Joseph's was solid in transition, however, converting 21 of 26 clear attempts, while both teams were limited on the extra-man unit with Calvin going 1-for-5 and the Monks finishing 0-for-2.

THE KEEPERS:

Junior Reed Wescott (Windham, Maine) made 13 saves in a complete-game effort for the Monks. Calvin goalkeeper Soren Thiemann earned the victory after stopping 11 shots over 60 minutes.

LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:

• Brandon Cavicchi: 3 goals, 2 ground balls, 1 caused turnover
• David Cook: 1 goal, 1 assist
• Noah Schaeffer: 1 goal, 1 assist
• Nicolas Michaud: 1 goal, 1 ground ball, 1 caused turnover
• Jack Leach: 1 goal
• Aidan Byrne: 1 goal
• Finley Ward (So., Farmington, Maine): 5 ground balls, 1 caused turnover
• Cody Southwick (So., Saco, Maine): 4 ground balls, 11-of-24 faceoffs
• Alec Henry (So., Hampstead, N.H.): 4 ground balls, 1 caused turnover

LEADERS – CALVIN:

• Jordan Warners: 4 goals, 1 assist, 4 ground balls
• David Blackmon: 2 goals, 1 assist
• Riley DeSarbo: 1 goal, 1 assist
• Braden Carpenter: 2 assists, 2 ground balls, 2 caused turnovers
• Anson Gorski: 2 assists
• Nate Hanson: 11-of-20 faceoffs, 6 ground balls

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:

Thursday's matchup marked the first recorded meeting between Saint Joseph's and Calvin.

NEXT:

Saint Joseph's returns to GNAC play on Sunday, March 15, when the Monks visit Dean College for an 11:30 AM conference game in Franklin, Mass.