Printer-Friendly Format     E-mail this article     Steve Clagett scored two goals to lead the Irish to the win over Ohio State in the final home game of the season.

 
Men's Lacrosse Defeats #18 Ohio State 7-3 In Season Finale

Irish defense holds Buckeyes scoreless in second half and goalkeeper Stewart Croslands makes 16 saves in the game.

May 4, 2002

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Notre Dame, Ind. - The Notre Dame men's lacrosse held #18 Ohio State scoreless in the second half while sophomore Steve Clagett (Chesapeake, Va.) scored two goals to lead the Irish to a 7-3 win over the Buckeyes in the season finale. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Irish who closed out the 2002 campaign with a 5-8 record and 4-1 mark in Great Western Lacrosse League play. The Buckeyes dropped to 9-5 overall and 3-2 in the GWLL.

Notre Dame took an early 1-0 lead 1:55 into the contest on Dan Berger's (Phoenix, Md.) goal off of a feed from teammate John Flandina (West Islip, N.Y.). It was Berger's first goal in two games after he was shut out of the goal-scoring column against Fairfield and Harvard, the Irish's last two opponents.

Ohio State, which had its three-game win streak snapped, reponded with a goal less than two minutes later when Anthony Gilardi scored the first of his two goals at the 11:08 mark. Clagett answered for the Irish with a goal at 9:53, but the Buckeyes came back to tie the contest at 2-2 with 6:31 remaining in the first quarter on a goal by Tom Randisi which was assisted by Mike Norton.

Clagett netted the first score of the second quarter to put Notre Dame up 3-2 4:26 into the second quarter. Ohio State tied the game for the third and final time at the 7:17 mark on Gilardi's second score of the game. That goal would be the final of the game for the Buckeyes as the Irish's defense and stellar play from sophomore goalkeeper Stewart Crosland (Bethesda, Md.) would hold the visitors without a goal for the final 37:17.

Senior Owen Asplundh (Bryn Athyn, Pa.) scored the go-ahead goal with 5:32 remaining in the third quarter and then freshman Chris Richez (Freeport, N.Y.) gave Notre Dame a 5-3 advantage heading into the fourth period.

Junior Travis Wells (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) scored the first of Irish's two goals in the fourth quarter and freshman Matt Malakoff (Bay Shore, N.Y.), who assisted on Wells' goal, netted the game's final tally with 1:24 remaining in the contest.

Crosland played the entire 60 minutes of the contest and earned his third start of the season. He finished with 16 saves in the game, two shy of his career best.