WENHAM, Mass.—For the second time in as many games an Utz brother totaled five goals, but this time Michael Utz (Rochester, N.Y.) completed the feat in a 15-8 win over visiting UMass-Boston. Junior Jake Martin (Watertown, Conn.) and freshman Nico Manganiello (Peabody, Mass.) both added hat-tricks, as the Scots survived both the Beacons and the frigid temperatures for their third consecutive win at the Brigham Athletic Complex on Friday.
Gordon improves to 3-2 on the season entering their California trip this weekend, after beginning the season 0-2. UMass-Boston had looked to improve to 3-0 for the first time in nearly decade, but fell to 2-1 on the season.
The scoring plays came fast and furious in the early going with both teams notching a goal within the first 30 seconds. Fresh off a five-goal performance against Salem State on Tuesday, Ryan Utz (Rochester, N.Y.) put in the game's first score just seven seconds in. Peter Kovacevic (Pittsburgh, Pa.) won the opening faceoff, flipped the ball over to Martin who then find an open Ryan Utz for the finish.
No to be outdone, UMass-Boston answered with a nifty goal from Joe Johnson (Roxbury, Mass.). Johnson got by his defender after the faceoff and fired a low shot past Gordon keeper Cody Greenwald (Albany, N.Y.) for the equalizer.
Michael Utz and the Beacons' John Powers (Marshfield, Mass.) traded goals back and forth over the next five minutes to keep things even. The Beacons took their first lead of the game in the 7th minute when Donny Delpha (Walpole, Mass.) whipped an attempt that found the twine.
Trailing for the first time in the game, Gordon countered back in a big way. Michael Utz scored two goals within 40 seconds of each other to reclaim the lead at 4-3, before Martin added another with 4:42 to play in the first quarter.
Kovacevic was a key to Gordon's success all night, winning 21 of the 26 faceoffs he took in the game. The junior won the final five attempted of the first quarter, which led to a 5-0 run to close the period. Jordan Heckelmann (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Manganiello both added goals for the Scots before the first 15 minutes was through.
After the early flurry of scoring, UMass-Boston struggled to break through Gordon's defense. Kovacevic kept the Gordon attack with possession for much of the final three quarters to help increase the lead as the game wore on. Delpha scored a quick goal for UMass-Boston to kick off the second quarter, but the Fighting Scots scored the other three goals in the period to make it 10-4 at halftime.
Gordon outscored the Beacons 5-4 in the second half as well, but Powers completed a hat-trick for UMass-Boston in the final frame.
Powers and Delpha combined for five of the eight Beacon goals. Johnson, Noah Ellis (Hingham, Mass.) and Joseph Cunningham (Hudson, Mass.) each netted one as well. Nick Weiss (Westfield, Mass.) added an assist. Sean LeBlanc (Marshfield, Mass.) led the Beacons with two caused turnovers on the afternoon.
Craig Frehill (Norwell, Mass.) took the loss in goal, allowing 10 first-half goals before giving way to AJ Collette (West Springfield, Mass.). Collette played well in the second half, making six saves and collecting five ground balls.
Gordon's Greenwald improves to 3-1 on the season and made four saves in the victory for Gordon.
Michael Utz led all scorers with five goals on 12 shots. Martin had another strong game with four goals and three assists, and now leads the team in both categories after five games. Manganiello finished with his second consecutive hat-trick and has scored at least two goals in all of Gordon's games thus far. Heckelmann wrapped up the scoring for Gordon.
Kovacevic led all players with 17 ground balls, many coming directly off face-off wins.
UMass-Boston returns to action on Tuesday when they play "host" to College of Mount Saint Vincent at Connecticut College. Gordon travels out to the West Coast on Saturday before taking on Whittier (Calif.) on Monday at 7 p.m. EST.
