The men’s division I lacrosse team played in their annual “Paws of War” game against Marist University on March 29 at Campus Field.
Paws of War is an organization that helps veterans, first responders and their families, especially those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, by providing them with service dogs, according to the organization’s website. The lacrosse game is designed to create a positive and meaningful experience for veterans, first responders, and rescued animals, promoting healing and mutual understanding.
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“I think it just shows you that it’s bigger than ourselves. It really shows how important it is, especially with our team,” said junior John Murray. “We’re very centered around the military. You can see on pretty much all of our helmets for the past three years, there’s an American flag somewhere on there.”
“It’s just different when you’re playing in front of other people. Different types of people who have done things to protect you, protect your freedom,” said head coach Jon Basti. “You kind of have a little bit more of a heightened sense of awareness about what we are, where we live and what we have, and that we’re lucky to have what we have and lucky to live where we live. Is this country perfect? No, but I still think it’s the greatest country on the planet.”
The Pioneers defeated Marist in a back-and-forth overtime thriller. Grad student Tucker Spencer led the game with three goals and Murray led the team in total points with four.
Trailing by two as the fourth quarter began, Sacred Heart rallied with three consecutive goals from junior Michael Moreschi, sophomore James Moran, and Murray, making the score 11-10 Pioneers with 10:51 remaining.
Marist answered with two quick goals to regain the lead, 12-11, with just 3:53 left. With eight seconds left in regulation, Murray found sophomore Tim Kiely, who was able to put the ball in the back of the net to send the game into overtime.
“We had a lot of good opportunities to score. We just didn’t finish those earlier. And then for Timmy to step up, I’m not surprised. I mean the dude’s got ice in his veins. He’s a tough kid and we recruited him for that reason,” said Basti.
“It’s always good when you see those guys down there getting the job done. I try not to focus on it too much. I try to just stay focused on the defensive side of the field. But, you know, obviously with a goal that magnitude, it’s hard not to notice it,” said grad student Alex Pazienza.
The Pioneers were able to make some defensive stops and hold Marist scoreless through overtime.
With the game still tied in overtime with two seconds left, Murray outran his defender and scored on a crease dive, securing a thrilling 13-12 overtime victory for Sacred Heart.
“I didn’t even know that we had such a short time. I really had no clue that there were eight seconds left,” said Murray. “ I was lucky enough to dodge down, and then I saw the crease was wide open, so I just decided to take a shot at it.”
After the game, Pazienza became the university’s all-time wins leader for men’s lacrosse with 26 career wins.
“It means a lot to me. And you know, also that’s sort of something that I look at as a team thing. I wouldn’t be able to do that without the guys around me,” said Pazienza. “You know, obviously it’s cool. I notice it and I enjoy that, but there’s more work to be done.”
Sacred Heart Athletics contributed to this article.
