For the first time in 407 days, Ivy League men’s lacrosse teams competed in official games. 

Both programs, Penn and Brown, walked away with a pair of dominant wins.

In a unique cross-division matchup, the Quakers, who were ranked No. 18 in the Nike / US Lacrosse Preseason Top 20, outpaced reigning Division III champion Cabrini 23-9. Brown topped Boston University 12-5.

The mere existence of these games felt like a win. The Ivy League Council of Presidents announced on February 18 that the conference would not hold league competition or host league championships this spring. But the statement also outlined the possibility of potential opportunities for local spring competition “if public health conditions substantially improve and if permitted by an institution.”

There were other limitations working against Ivy League programs when looking for opponents, such as geographic restrictions imposed by the “local” stipulation. Penn’s regional radius spans about 40 miles. Yesterday, the women’s team defeated La Salle 16-11 at Franklin Field.

Like the men’s team, the initial contest remains the only game on their published schedules.

Penn Opens With Offensive Outpouring

In 2020, Adam Goldner and the rest of the Penn men’s lacrosse team’s mindset was to finish what the class the year before had started. So when presented with possibility of returning for a fifth-year, Goldner weighed his options, including a job offer at JP Morgan.

He ultimately took the long view and returned for a fifth year.

“It was definitely a lot to weigh, but I know that, you know, given the opportunity to come back to Penn, I thought that looking back at it, I would have regretted not taking the chance when it was presented to me,” Goldner said in an interview for a US Lacrosse Magazine profile.

The attackman from Allentown (Pa.) who shattered Penn’s single-season goals record in 2019, produced several standout performances on the turf at Cabrini’s Edith Robb Dixon field back in his high school days playing for Malvern Prep. Tonight’s might top them all.

Goldner set Penn’s single-game record with nine goals on 14 shots in the 23-9 win. He also added an assist.

“In 30 years of coaching, I'm not sure I've been around too many people that have done more to maximize their abilities and prepare for games like Adam has,” Penn coach Mike Murphy said this past fall. “He’s highly talented and skilled, but how thoroughly he works to improve and prepare himself is what sets him apart.” 

The Quakers pulled apart from the Cavaliers with several standout performances. The starting attack unit of Goldner, Dylan Gergar and Sean Lulley combined for 13.8 goals per game in 2020 when the Quakers started with a 2-3 record against its notoriously staunch out-of-conference schedule. Tonight they totaled 23. Gergar had seven goals and two assists and Lulley dished out four assists. Junior face-off specialist Jamie Zusi, who did not see any game action in 2020 behind All-American Kyle Gallagher, won 22 of 29 draws against Cabrini.

The Cavaliers hung tight with the Quakers through a little more than a quarter and cut the deficit to 6-5 after a goal from Kyle Tucker with 5:24 to play in the second quarter. Penn then staged a nine-goal run, during which six players scored to break the game open.

Mike Gerzabek, who entered the game with eight goals and twelve assists, paced the Cavaliers with four goals.

Brown Shuts Down Boston U.

Eight players cracked the scoring column for Brown in a 12-5 win — its first game since the Bears topped Virginia and former coach Lars Tiffany 14-13 on March 8, 2020. Senior attackman Luke McCaleb led the way with five points on two goals and three assists. Darian Cook, George Grell and Nolan Rockefeller each had two goals.

rown.

ack on the field.

TB from Darian Cook.@BrownLacrosse dominating @TerrierMLAX. pic.twitter.com/vWZlB8EsC2

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) April 24, 2021

Yet it was the defense’s stifling play that was the story of the game. Brown held Boston U. scoreless for over 30 minutes through the middle periods and allowed only 16 shots. Senior goalie Phil Goss made 11 stops for an eye-popping .688 save percentage. A first team CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2020, Goss posted a .559 save percentage last spring. Alex Gainey made 15 saves for Boston U.

After Kevin O’Hara opened the scoring for the Terriers just under 90 seconds into the game, Brown closed the first quarter on a four-goal streak, then ran away with the game courtesy of an eight-goal run. The Terriers tallied the final three goals.

The Terriers (6-3 overall, 4-2 Patriot League) are already locked into the second seed in the North Division of the Patriot League tournament and were originally scheduled to play conference foe Holy Cross. The Crusaders canceled the remainder of their season earlier this month due to a “violation of team standards of the college’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.”

Matt Baugher scored two goals in the loss.

OTHER SCORES

Canisius 8, Monmouth 7