March 25, 2006

Box Score

Villanova, Pa. - Villanova (4-4, 2-0 Colonial Athletic Association) scored two goals in the fourth quarter and held off a late Drexel (4-3, 1-1 CAA) flurry to win 7-6 on a dreary afternoon at Villanova Stadium.

Drexel's Mike Filippone scored unassisted to start the game and give Drexel a 1-0 lead, its only advantage of the game. Senior Matt Starker (Summit, N.J.) notched a goal from junior Paul Genovese (Huntington, N.Y.) and junior Andy German (Wayne, Pa.) scored unassisted to give Villanova a 2-1 edge at the end of the first quarter.

Starker picked up where he left off with 6:18 left in the second quarter when he buried a laser from 15 yards out, the assist from German. The Dragons' Yoni Cohen scored off a Matt Musci pass with 3:29 left, but Villanova's junior face-off specialist junior Chris Colliniates (Atlantic Beach, N.Y.) scored his first career goal when he won the face-off and streaked downfield to give 'Nova a 4-2 lead just six seconds after Cohen's goal.

Musci scored for Drexel to keep it within one at 1:57, but Starker scored his third of the game off a pass from sophomore Eric Heidenberger (Chevy Chase, Md.) at 1:24 to preserve a two-goal lead. However Jeff Pfeffer and Musci each posted unassisted goals to tie the game at 5-5 at the start of the fourth quarter.

Villanova's Chris Mercer (Severna Park, Md.) and Matt Panneton (Niskayuna, N.Y.) took over for Villanova, scoring back-to-back goals to extend 'Nova's lead to 7-5 with 9:16 remaining. The Wildcats withstood a late flurry by the Dragons, which included an unassisted goal by Adam Dennis at 5:58.

Senior co-captain and goalie Joe Canuso (Moorestown, N.J.) was sparkling in net for the 'Cats, making 17 saves on 30 shots. Drexel's goalie Bruce Bickford made 18 on 37 Wildcat shots.