Lacrosse Beats Towson in CAA Semifinals

Trailing by three goals in the fourth quarter, Drexel Men’s Lacrosse rallied to a 11-10 victory in overtime against Towson in the semifinals of the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament. Junior Ryan Belka scored the game-winner a minute and 27 seconds into overtime. The Dragons will face Hofstra on Saturday, May 3 for the CAA title.

Senior Ben McIntosh, who was recently named the CAA’s Men’s Lacrosse Player of the Year, led the Dragons with four goals and an assist and rookie Cole Shafer also added four goals. Nick Saputo won 19 of 22 face-offs for Drexel and scooped up a team-leading 11 ground balls to help Drexel set up its scoring opportunities.

Belka’s dramatic goal came after the Dragons launched a furious rally in the final four minutes of regulation. McIntosh stemmed a three-goal scoring spurt by the Tigers with an unassisted score at the 9:17 mark and followed it nearly six minutes later with another tally.

Shafer tied the game with just under three minutes to play and McIntosh gave Drexel a brief lead 33 seconds later with a goal to make it 10-9. Towson’s Devin Grimaldi evened the game with 1:20 to play, setting up overtime.

Drexel will travel to play at Hofstra, an 8-6 victor over Delaware in the other semifinal game, in the CAA Championship on Saturday. It is the Dragons’ third appearance in the CAA title game and their second meeting with Hofstra this season. In their first tilt with the Pride, on March 22, the Dragons came up short 11-9 at home.

Saturday’s game will be played at Hofstra’s James Shuart Stadium at 7 p.m.