Brown was the first to draw blood when Michael Hughes converted an extra-man opportunity three minutes into the game. Gavin Prout evened it up when he knocked in a pass from Chris Summers. Loyola went up 2-1 as time expired at the end of the first quarter. The sideline was calling for a shot, but instead Prout passed to Jim Fink who let it rip just in time.
Prout kept firing into the second quarter. Summers found him open near the restraining line and Prout moved the net with his laser. The score stayed the same for the next ten minutes. Both goalies made some nice saves but Jason Born kept two point blank shots out that would have brought Brown within one. Instead, Loyola increased its lead when Brian Tempone faked once then let it go for the score. Brown answered on a man-down goal by Hughes again. Coach Cottle said that his team is vulnerable when they are playing defense with the man advantage. He said that too frequently they either commit a penalty themselves because they are trying to double the ball or they give up a goal because they are chasing people instead of playing solid defense. Prout ended the scoring for the half when he converted an extra-man opportunity. At the half the score looked a lot closer that the game seemed.
Brown scored first in the second half when Hughes found Jonathon Thompson in front of the cage and he converted. Loyola came back with Michael Sullivan putting a shot out of the goalie's reach. Chas Gessener answered for the Bears as he cranked one low to make the score 6-4. Loyola opened things up with the next three goals. Brundage was first as he put one away as he was falling down. Prout was next when he finished a Sullivan skip pass with Brown two men down. Brian Tempone stole a clearing pass and scored to give Loyola a 9-4 lead. Coach Nelson said after the game that his team really struggled clearing the ball. Brown did manage to score right before the end of the quarter when Hughes took the short stick that was covering him one-on-one.
Brown threatened again at the start of the fourth quarter as Matt Kelly bounced one low. Loyola quickly stamped out those hopes by scoring the next two. Sullivan took the feed from Prout and put it low left. Beret Dickson was unable to get it although he had been making that save all day. Brundage scored Loyola's final goal of the game with four minutes to play. Gessner closed out the scoring for Brown but at that point it didn't matter.
Loyola Head Coach Dave Cottle felt his team played extremely hard. When asked about the lackluster extra-man performance he said, "We just have to shoot at a higher level." Possession was a key for both coaches going into the game and it was Loyola that won that battle.
Brown's path doesn't get any easier as they travel to Syracuse on the 31st of the month. Loyola's load lightens up a little with their next opponent being Towson.
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WOMEN'S PROTECTIVE
