Third Evans-Woodson Connection Surges Goucher Men's Lacrosse To 10-9 Overtime Win At Neumann

ASHTON, Pa. – Landmark Conference Men's Lacrosse Offensive Athlete of the Week Matt Woodson (Timonium, Md./McDonough) showed why he has been the league's top offensive player for the last two weeks after scoring the decisive goal with 1:33 left in overtime to propel Goucher College past Neumann University 10-9 in non-conference men's lacrosse action on Wednesday.

After a Gopher timeout, Andrew Sade (Lewisberry, Pa./Northern York) threw the ball to Woodson behind the cage and the senior came out to the right of the cage before passing the ball behind the cage to Rashaan Evans (Salisbury, Md./Parkside). The sophomore went around the cage to the left and turned around heading back behind the cage while Woodson snuck out to the left of the cage and took the pass and buried the shot high into the netting.

Neumann scored three goals in the fourth quarter tie the game and force overtime. The momentum seem to be the way of the Knights, but the goal was set up by a strong defensive stand after Neumann won the extra session faceoff. Justin Lugo (Davie, Fla./Saint Andrew's School) made a save with 2:52 left in overtime while another Neumann shot went wide. Kyle Ramos (Silver Spring, Md./Bethesda Chevy Chase) picked up an errant pass by the Knights and Goucher cleared the ball before calling a timeout.

Woodson finished the game with three goals and two assists while Evans posted a tally and a career-high four helpers. Woodson, who registered a program-record with eight assists in last year's meeting against Neumann, has registered at least three goals and two helpers in five-straight contests. He leads the team with 20 goals and 13 assists for 33 points. Evans has nearly doubled his assist total from his freshman campaign in seven games after handing out two assist or more four times in the last five games.

Ike Eastburn (Colorado Springs, Colo./Cheyenne Mountain) recorded his first two collegiate tallies while Ben Smith (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Spalding) also found the twine twice. Smith has recorded six-straight multigoal performances in 2020.

Lugo made 13 saves in between the pipes. Ramos powered the defense with five ground balls and three caused turnovers while Sam Gravel (Rockville, Md./St. Andrew's Episcopal School) registered three caused turnovers and two ground balls.

The Woodson-Evans tandem got the scoring started when Evans found Woodson 65 seconds into the game for a quick 1-0 lead.

Eastman then gave the Gophers a 2-1 lead when he took a pass from Woodson and turned around to twinkle the twine for the first time in his collegiate career.

The teams continue to trade tallies after Smith found the back of the net off a Steven Mancha (Salisbury, Md./Parkside) at 5:48 for a 3-2 edge before Neumann scored the last two markers in the quarter to take a 4-3 lead going into the second quarter.

Goucher used three unanswered goals to start the second frame to give the team a 6-4 lead. Julian Schemm (Sykesville, Md./Century) notched his second goal of his career unassisted at 12:51 before Evans set up Eastburn's second marker at 12:15 and Sade posted his only tally of the day at 6:33 for a two-goal advantage.

After a Knights score, Evans came around from the right to rocket a shot into the netting with 12 seconds left to hand the Gophers a 7-5 lead at the break.

Neumann posted the first goal of the second half, but the great connection of Evans to Woodson came up for the second time on the day of what would occur three times at 9:20 and Woodson set up Smith at 7:51 for the team's largest lead at 9-6.

The Knights would respond with a 3-0 fourth quarter to knot the game at 9 and had the first chance to win the game, but the Gophers defense came up big to set up Woodson's heroics.

Goucher returns to action on Saturday at Delaware Valley. Game time is 1 p.m.