By Maggie Tifft, Sports Reporter
The Griffs defeated Robert Morris in overtime on Saturday, ending their road stretch with a 9–8 win.
It was the lone goal by senior midfielder Hunter Parucki that sealed the victory for Canisius. Within the first minute of overtime, Robert Morris had an errant pass that resulted in a Griffs possession, and eventually the end of the game.
“Going into overtime was a little nerve racking for myself as Robert Morris had the momentum, scoring last to tie it. I pump faked to Pat giving me the lane to shoot underhand, even though I felt the defenseman right behind me. I knew instantly my shot had gone in and we had won,” says Parucki.
The team came out to a hot start, building momentum and leading 4–1 after the first quarter, but Robert Morris refused to roll over. Robert Morris outscored Canisius 7–4 in the remaining minutes of regulation, forcing overtime, though the Griffs grabbed the golden goal in the game's extra minutes. Freshman Mason Wolford tallied a career-high three points — two goals and one assist —, while redshirt junior Mikey Howe notched a season high of two goals.
“We were able to persevere and collectively stick together when our backs were against the wall. It was exciting to see the guys ban together for a win,” says head coach Mark Miyashita.
A strong Saturday win gave the team a positive mindset as they had about a week’s worth of practice to prepare for their next matchup.
For the Griffs’ home opener, the Cleveland State Vikings will travel to Buffalo to face the Golden Griffins on the Demske. This will be the sixth time these two teams meet, and the Vikings have taken the win for the past three years.
The face off is this Friday, March 1, at 3 p.m. and is accessible online via the Golden Griffin Broadcasting Network.
Pictures Courtesy of Tom Wolf/ Go Griffs
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