Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Boxscore

PHILADELPHIA -- The University of Delaware's men's lacrosse season came to a tough end Saturday afternoon at Vidas Field as the Blue Hens dropped a 10-8 decision to host Drexel with a Colonial Athletic Association playoff berth at stake.

The Dragons (7-7, 3-3 CAA) scored three goals in a span of 1:17 midway through the fourth quarter to take command and held off the Hens down the stretch to earn the win and advance to the CAA semifinals where they will travel to either Towson or Hofstra Wednesday night. A win by Delaware would have given the Blue Hens the No. 4 seed and a berth in the semifinals at Hofstra Wednesday.

The Blue Hens (5-10, 2-4 CAA) lost their second straight game and failed to make the CAA semifinals for the first time since the 2003 season after a school-record five straight appearances. Each of Delaware's four league losses this season came by two goals or less and of the 10 setbacks, seven came by a margin of three goals or less.

All-American Curtis Dickson (at right), Mark Steverson, and Kevin Kaminski each scored two goals to pace the Blue Hens. Dickson, who also dished out two assists, extended his point-scoring streak to 40 straight games and his second goal with 8:22 left in the third quarter was the 100th of his career. The junior, who ended the season as the team’s leading scorer with 33 goals and 12 assists for 45 points, is now one of only 13 players in school history to reach the 100-goal plateau.

Delaware had won two straight over Drexel, including a 12-11 win last year in Newark and an 11-7 victory in their last visit to Vidas Field in the 2007 CAA semifinals. Each of the last 10 games in the series have been decided by four goals or less, including five by a single goal.

This game featured seven ties, the last at 7-7 when Drexel's Adam Dennis scored with 6:25 left to play to start the pivotal three-goal run for the Dragons. Delaware had taken the lead just five minutes earlier when Steverson scored his second goal of the gamewith 9:11 left.

Delaware narrowed the game to 9-8 on a score by Kaminski with 3:58 remaining, but the Hens couldn't manage another goal and Drexel put the game away on an open-net goal by Brian Neary with just 39 seconds left.

Colin Ambler, Greg Casey, and Dennis each scored two goals for Drexel with Ambler also adding two assists and Neary and Joe Wojciechowski adding a goal and an assist each. Drexel goalkeeper Mark Manos was tough in the nets, stopping 11 shots.

Neither team led the game by more than two goals and the game was all tied up seven times, including four times in the first half. Delaware opened the scoring on a goal by Steverson five minutes in, but Drexel came back with two straight and took a 3-2 lead after the first stanza when Casey scored with 55 seconds left.

The teams traded goals in the second quarter with Kaminski and Dickson scoring for the Hens and Dennis and Ambler tallying for the Dragons. Ambler’s goal with 2:21 gave Drexel the 5-4 lead at the break.

Delaware took its first second half lead midway through the third as Beau Davis tallied just four minutes into the second half to tie the score at 5-5 and Dickson scored with 8:22 remaining to give UD the 6-5 advantage. Ambler struck late again for Drexel, hitting the back of net with just 55 seconds left to send the game into the final stanza tied at 6-6.

Delaware took its final lead at 7-6 on Steverson’s goal with 9:11 left. Dennis tied the game with his second goal with 6:25 remaining, Casey followed with another goal just 61 seconds later, and Kevin Dart scored just 16 seconds after that to put Drexel up 9-7 with 5:08 remaining.

Kaminski’s bullet with 3:58 left cut the lead to 9-8, but the Hens would not score again despite a shot by Cahill that hit the post in the final minute.

AGATE:

Delaware......2.....2.....2.....2.....8
Drexel...........3.....2.....1.....4.....10

Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Delaware - Curtis Dickson, 2-2; Kevin Kaminski, 2-0; Mark Steverson, 2-0; Beau Davis, 1-0; Josh Coveleski, 1-0.
Drexel - Colin Ambler, 2-2; Greg Casey, 2-0; Adam Dennis, 2-0; Joe Wojciechowski, 1-1; Brian Neary, 1-1; Kyle Bergman, 1-0; Kevin Dart, 1-0; Kevin Stockel, 0-2.

Shots: Delaware - 35, Drexel - 39; Groundballs: Delaware - 32, Drexel - 22; Faceoffs: Delaware - 9, Drexel - 12; Clears: Delaware - 11 of 14, Drexel - 12 of 15; Extra Man Goals: Delaware, 2 for 2, Drexel, 3 for 7; Saves: Delaware - 8 (Noah Fossner), Drexel - 11 (Mark Manos); Turnovers: Delaware - 16, Drexel - 12; Attendance: 1,064.