JOHNSON, Vt. – The Badgers used a balanced attack to surpass conference opponent Lyndon State 16-9 Tuesday afternoon at Minaert Field. Johnson advances to 1-8 on the season and 1-6 in the North Atlantic Conference as Lyndon slips to 0-8 overall and 0-4 in NAC play.
Jacob Eustis (Cubmerland, Maine) paced the offense earning a double hat trick and contributing one helper and one groundball towards the Badgers' winning effort. Taner Cross and Andrew Neddo each supplied three goals while teammates Randy Strand (Flanders, N.J. / Roxbury), Alan Bickings (Waterville, Vt. / Lamoille), Pete Levack (Hinesburg, Vt. / Champlain Valley Union) and Ryan Belen (Northvale, N.J. / Northern Valley) each netted one goal for the hosts. Maxx Connolly was essential to the Badger's possession game scooping up 15 ground balls.
The visitors were paced by Timothy Patten (Springfield, N.H.) who provided three goals and two assists. Teammates Colin Young (South Royalton, Vt./Sharon Academy), Nathan Rivard (Enosburg Falls, Vt./Enosburg Falls High) and Robert Crupi (Scituate, Mass. / Scituate High) each delivered two goals apiece. Young also gathered up 4 ground balls for the Hornets.
JSC opened the first stanza after Cross fired a pass from Bickings into the back of the net, just 12:52 into the game. Lyndon's Young answered six minutes later, taking advantage of a man-up opportunity, tying the score 1-1. JSC wasted little time firing back with a goal from Strand just :33 seconds later, only to see Lyndon tie things up again with a goal from Patten. With under a minute left in the stanza, Eustis found the back of the net off of an assist from Nate Perrotte (Milton, Vt. / Milton) ending the period 3-2, Johnson's advantage.
Lyndon used the second period to try and close the gap when Patten scored off of a Young assist tying things up for the last time just seconds into play. The Badgers' offense outscored Lyndon in the remainder of the period, leading 8-6 as the teams broke for the half. Although Lyndon scored three more goals during the second half, it was no match for Johnson's eight goals. The Hosts closed the contest ahead 16-9, outshooting Lyndon 58-36.
Badgers' goalie Zach Jerome (Waterford, Conn. / Waterford) picked up the win saving seven of the 16 shots he faced while Matthew Reynolds (New Fairfield, Conn./New Fairfield High) was saddled with the loss, despite his 23 saves in net for the Hornets.
Johnson will use the remainder of the week to prepare before they travel to Green Mountain on Saturday, April, 20th for a 1:00pm NAC tilt. Lyndon suites up again Wednesday when they host New England College for a 3:00pm start time.