PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (March 27, 2024) - In the lowest combined scoring game of the season, Georgian Court Men's Lacrosse came out on the short side in a 9-7 loss to Chestnut Hill. Georgian Court rallied from five down to within one late in the fourth, but couldn't get the equalizer as the Griffins put the game away with a goal in the final minutes. The loss drops GCU to 5-5 this season and 2-1 in the CACC. 

How it Happened
• Entering the game winning just 40% of their faceoffs, Chestnut Hill won the battle on the draws 12-8.
• Despite the extra possessions, Georgian Court was still able to get off 14 more shots than the Griffins. They also led in shots on goal, 21-17.
• Each team turned the ball over 20 times. The Lions were 12-17 on clears and CHC 17-24.
• On the ground, Chestnut Hill got to 25 and GCU 21. 
• The Lions converted on 2-5 man-up chances. They also did a good job staying out of the box committing just one penalty, which Chestnut Hill did score on. 
First Quarter
• Both goaltenders were on their game early. Vincent Burkhart made a pair of saves in the first two minutes.
• Chestnut Hill scored first getting a goal nearly four minutes in. Then after winning the faceoffs, scored again 37 seconds later for a 2-0 lead.
• The Lions had a great chance in the middle of the in the middle of the quarter to get on the board. GCU held possession and rifled off seven total shots with two saves and one hitting the post. It was all for naught though as the possession ended in a turnover.
• In the closing seconds, a Georgian Court turnover led to a Griffin chance and they capitalized scoring with five seconds left to lead 3-0 after the first.
Second Quarter
• Burkhart was tested early again to start the second, making a save in the first 30 seconds.
• The Lions first two clear attempts of the quarter failed and led to the Griffins going up 4-0 with a goal a little more than three minutes in.
• Tyler Burns finally got Georgian Court on the board scoring at the 10:26 mark.
• Chestnut Hill answered with a man-up goal going back up four, 5-1.
• The Lions offense got some momentum scoring twice in 1:45. First Brett Bridges cashed in from Tyler Burns. Doug Mackenzie then got the Lions within two, 5-3, with a man-up goal off a feed from Matt Dorrian.
• The Griffins won the next face and got one of the goals back. They got another to go up 7-3 with 2:12 left to play in the half.
• In the closing seconds, GCU was inches away from getting closer, but Tallen Smith's shot rang off the post and stayed out as the horn sounded.
Third Quarter
• It was a quiet third in terms of goals, but the Lions were able to gain some ground.
• It was Chestnut Hill who started things fast scoring just 62 seconds into the half to push the lead back to five.
• Brett Bridges, after a turnover, answered a minute later with his second of the game.
• After going more than eight minutes without a goal, Tallen Smith lit the lamp to make it an 8-5 game.
• Georgian Court had a one-minute, locked-in penalty late in the quarter, but a turnover allowed the Griffins to kill off the penalty.
• Burkhart made a big save in the final minute and GCU's defense withstood a late rush in the closing seconds to go to the fourth down three, 8-5.
Fourth Quarter
• Georgian Court allowed just two second-half goals, one in each quarter.
• Less than two minutes into the fourth, Bridges made it a hat trick, bringing the Lions within two, 8-6.
• Again after going more than eight minutes without a goal, Doug Mackenzie on the man-advantage made it a one-goal game with 5:15 left to play.
• The Chestnut Hill defense made life difficult on the Lions who turned the ball over three times in the final 2:42. None more critical than in the offensive zone looking to tie the game. Chestnut Hill raced down the field, found and open man, and went up 9-7 with 2:16 left to play.
• GCU won the faceoff, but another turnover gave the ball right back. After getting possession back, another turnover gave CHC the ball with 62 seconds left and they played keep-away to hang on to a 9-7 win.

Lion Stat Leaders
• Brett Bridges scored a team-high three goals on five shots.
• Tyler Burns also scored three points with a goal and two assists.
• Doug Mackenzie added two goals.
• Tallen Smith chipped in a goal and an assist. 
• Vincent Burkhart made eight saves in goal.
• Kyle Harms grabbed five ground balls.
• Garrett Kenny was 8-20 on faceoffs. 

For the Griffins
• Noah Hammon scored a game-high four goals with an assist.
• Nate Matthews scored twice.
• Cade Johnson totaled four points with a goal and three assists. He grabbed three ground balls as well.
• Brandon Bergheier was 12-20 on faceoffs with five ground balls. 
• Daniel Grubb caused three turnovers and picked up three ground balls.

News and Notes
• Brett Bridges scored his 100th career point. The sixth Lion to reach that milestone.
• Kyle Harms played in his 50th career game.
• Tallen Smith recorded his 300th career shot. 
• The Lions fall to 8-4 all-time against the Griffins. 
• This is the fourth game in the series GCU has held the Griffins below 10 points. 
• The last time Georgian Court played in a game with neither team reaching double-figure goals was also against Chestnut Hill. A 9-5 win last season. 
• This was just the second time in program history the Lions failed to score in the first quarter of a CACC game. Also doing so in 2021 against Wilmington. 
• The loss snaps the Lions 10-game CACC regular season winning streak.

Up Next
• Georgian Court will take the Easter Weekend off but get right back after it Tuesday, April 2nd against Bridgeport with a 4 p.m. start.