Spartans Down Boilermakers in CCLA Playoffs

05 May, 2008

Kyle Kirch (3g 2a) and Joe Stephanoff (1g 3a) Lead Spartan attack

By Josh Dutt

The Spartans began the weekend with hopes of taking home the CCLA Playoff Championship and earning an automatic bid to the MCLA National Championship Tournament

The playoffs began for the Spartans when they played the late game on Friday against the Boilermakers of Purdue University. State wasted no time in downing the Boilermakers 15-5.

Michael Schumacher scored the first goal of the tournament for the Spartans after dodging from the top left and beating the Purdue goalie low left. A minute later Joe Stephanoff drew a double team and dished it off to Brian Kegley who scored his first of the tournament. Kegley added another score just 23 seconds later despite being hooked around the neck putting MSU up 3-0. The Spartans would add three more goals to close out the quarter, one each from Tom Haubenreich, and Dan Witt, both of whoms goals were assisted by Stephanoff, and Brian Kegley, who finished off a first quarter hat trick.

The second quarter was much of the same from the Spartans unrelenting attack. Kyle Kirch scored three goals in the quarter, matching Kegley's feat from the first, including a breakaway goal that came after he intercepted a clear attempt by the Purdue goalie. After tallying three assists in the first, Joe Stephanoff scored his lone goal of the game in the second.

Also scoring in the quarter, putting the Spartans up 12-2 at halftime were Louis Turner who snuck behind the defense and scored his first of the tournament, and Michael Schumacher, who scored after dodging through three defenders. Connor Bush and Tom Haubenreich tallied assists in the quarter.

None of the State goals would have been possible without air tight defense and face off wins provided by Derek Baynton, Matt LaCasse, Jeff Camarra, Riley Turchetti, Tim Shoemaker, John Williams, Alex Gage, Chris Degenhardt, Ben Daiek, and Brendan Hunt.

The first goal of the second half would come after Chris Degenhardt made a diving save stopping the ball from going out of bounds leading to a Spartan transition goal. Kyle Kirch found Kevin Schultz for the score. A Purdue goal sent the game into the fourth with the Spartans leading 13-3.

State and Purdue would exchange goals in the final period, with Dan Witt and Matt Ullrich finding twine with their shots for the Spartans. The final score read MSU 15 Purdue 5.