May 28, 2000
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Limestone College used a 4-2 run in the fourth
quarter and held off a furious rally by C.W. Post in winning its
first-ever national title, 10-9, Sunday afternoon at Ludwig Field. C.W.
Post lost in the national championship game for the third consecutive
season. The game was played in front of 2,019 fans - the most people
ever to watch a Division II championship game. Limestone is the first
school from South Carolina to win a national title in lacrosse and is
the Southern-most school ever to win a lacrosse national championship.
The Saints entered the fourth quarter with a 6-5 advantage and extended
the lead to 8-5 with back-to-back goals. Brendan Spilker scored
unassisted with 14:25 left and Nick Carlson took a feed from Chris
Campbell to give the Saints a three-goal advantage for the second time
in the game. Carlson scored two of his team-leading three goals in the
fourth quarter, garnering Most Outstanding Player honors.
C.W. Post came back with a pair of goals of its own as Joe Buccello and
Ernie Thompson closed the gap to 8-7. The Saints answered as Carlson and
Matt Collins both scored for a 10-7 advantage with 3:38 to play.
However, C.W. Post's Benny Cottone scored a pair of goals :39 apart -
the second coming with 2:22 remaining, bringing the Pioneers to within a
score for the second time in the quarter. Post had a chance to tie the
game with under :30 remaining, but the shot on goal by Drew Cavadias
went wide.
Limestone never relinquished the lead in the game, taking a 3-0
advantage in the first quarter. Rick Matthews, Devan Spilker and Collins
each had tallies. Cottone scored the first of his game-high five goals
on the day - opening Post's scoring. Cottone added another and Collins
followed to tie the game at 3-3 with 9:22 remaining in the second
quarter. Limestone took a 5-4 advantage into halftime on Jon Riley's
rocket from the left point that found the top of the net with 4:45
remaining in the second quarter. C.W. Post tied the game for the final
time at 4-4 as Cottone took a feed from Gavin Chamberlain for the
extra-man goal with 6:15 remaining in the second quarter.
GAME SCORING
Limestone (14-2 ) 3 2 1 4 -- 10
C.W. Post (8-4) 1 3 1 4 -- 9
Qtr.-Time Team, Goal (Assist) LC-CWP
1-14:28 LC, Rick Matthews (unassisted) 1-0
1-13:15 LC, Devan Spilker (unassisted) 2-0
1-7:48 LC, Matt Collins (unassisted) 3-0
1-1:07 CWP, Benny Cottone (Anthony Santamaria) 3-1
2-11:42 CWP, Benny Cottone (Gavin Chamberlain) 3-2
2-9:22 CWP, Larry Collins (Drew Cavadias) 3-3
2-8:10 LC, Nick Carlson (Josh Rudder) 4-3
2-6:15 CWP, Benny Cottone (Gavin Chamberlain) - EMO 4-4
2-4:45 LC, Jon Riley (Chris Campbell) 5-4
3-8:19 LC, Brendan Spilker (Nick Carlson) 6-4
3-7:46 CWP, Drew Cavadias (unassisted) 6-5
4-14:25 LC, Brendan Spilker (unassisted) 7-5
4-13:12 LC, Nick Carlson (Chris Campbell) 8-5
4-10:27 CWP, Joe Buccello (unassisted) - EMO 8-6
4-7:57 CWP, Ernie Thompson (unassisted) 8-7
4-6:40 LC, Nick Carlson (unassisted) 9-7
4-3:38 LC, Matt Collins (Jon Riley) 10-7
4-3:01 CWP, Benny Cottone (unassisted) - EMO 10-8
4-2:22 CWP, Benny Cottone (Gavin Chamberlain) 10-9
TEAM STATS
Category Limestone CW Post
Shots 8-12-8-6=34 10-9-9-12=40
Saves 5-1-1-3=10 3-3-2-1=9
Face-Offs (2/5),(0/5),(0/3),(3/9)=5/22 (3/5),(5/5),(3/3),(6/9)=17/22
Groundballs 14-10-8-10=42 11-12-14-13=50
Clears (5/8),(6/8),(4/5),(4/5)=19/26 (3/3),(5/5),(4/7),(2/3)=14/18
Extra-Man Opp. (0/1),(0/1),(0/1),(0/2)=0/5 (0/4),(1/1),(0/3),(2/2)=3/10
Penalties 10/8:00 5/4:30
INDIVIDUAL SCORING
Limestone
Scorers Goals-Asst.-Pts.
Nick Carlson 3-1-4
Matt Collins 2-0-2
Brendan Spilker 2-0-2
Jon Riley 1-1-2
Chris Campbell 0-2-2
Devan Spilker 1-0-1
Rick Matthews 1-0-1
Josh Rudder 0-1-1
C.W. Post
Scorers Goals-Asst.-Pts.
Benny Cottone 5-0-5
Gavin Chamberlain 0-3-3
Drew Cavadias 1-1-2
Joe Buccello 1-0-1
Larry Collins 1-0-1
Ernie Thompson 1-0-1
Anthony Santamaria 0-1-1
GOALIES
Limestone
Goalies Saves GA Min.
Matt Malloy 10 9 60
C.W. Post
Goalies Saves GA Min.
R.J. Degenfelder 9 10 60
ATTENDANCE: 2,019
