Jackets Surge Past 20th Ranked Gamecocks

The Georgia Tech Men's Lacrosse Team hosted the South Carolina Gamecocks in an SELC North Region game on Friday night.  These two teams are no strangers with this being the seventh time the teams have played since the beginning of the 2022 season.  The teams had split the last six games 3-3. 

The forecast called for frigid temperatures on The Flats and the weather was cold, but not as brutally as predicted.  Both teams took some time to get their legs underneath them trading empty possessions early.  The Gamecocks opened the scoring with a goal from a defenseman who carried the ball all the way up the field and then took a hard slide as he shot the ball.  Roughly two minutes later the Jackets got on the board when freshman midfielder Austin Edler lead a fast break and scored when the defense failed to slide.  Just over a minute later Brooks Baro swung topside off a feed from Pierce Quarles and put the Jackets ahead 2-1.  The teams would trade possessions for the next several minutes with both teams playing strong defense.  The Gamecocks tied the game with just over two minutes in the first quarter.  The first quarter ended with the teams tied at two.

The Gamecocks struck first early in the second quarter taking the opening faceoff down the heart of the Jacket defense and scoring.  Both defenses locked in for the next several minutes.  Brooks Baro tied the game when he  caught the ball on the wing and dodged his man and the slide before firing home a shot.  Pierce Quarles drew a foul on the next possession and on the ensuing extra-man opportunity Brooks Baro fed Michael Grosso from behind and Grosso rifled a shot past the Gamecock goalie.  The Gamecocks answered back continuing the back and forth nature of the game.  With just over two minutes remaining Brooks Baro fed Matt Seifert on the crease who scored a backhanded goal to put the Jackets ahead 5-4 entering halftime. 

The two offenses took some time to get going in the second half.  The Jackets tightened up their ride forcing the Gamecocks into multiple failed clears.  When the Gamecocks did get the ball cleared, the Jacket defense led by Hudson Higgins, George Corbin, and Mitch Savalli turned away the South Carolina advances.  Joseph Rose scored the first goal of the second half when he gathered a groundball on the crease and slipped it past the goalie.  After another few minutes of defense,  Pierce Quarles took a shot that was saved by the Gamecock keeper, but Joseph Rose caught the rebound and scored.  Two minutes later Andrew Belli forced a turnover from the Gamecocks and scooped the ground ball leading a fast break.  Belli drew a slide from the defense and fed Brooks Baro who beat the goalie nearside for the Jackets' eighth goal.  The Gamecocks would add a goal of their own to enter the fourth quarter with a score of 8-5 in favor of the Jackets.

Andrew Belli scored the first goal  of the fourth quarter when he dodged his defender and no slide came so he hammered a left handed shot past the goalie.  Pierce Quarles got himself on the board a few minutes later when he turned the corner from behind without being covered and scored the Jackets'  tenth goal of the game.  In the fourth quarter Charlie Ciardullo started to take over the face off dot allowing the Jackets to play make-it take-it lacrosse.  On the next possession Brooks Baro drew a slide and threw the ball back to freshman Carl Dagher who hammered a shot near side on the Gamecock keeper.  The Jackets now up 10-5 had a firm grip on the game.  One minute later Pierce Quarles fed Joseph Rose on the crease who finished another shot on the crease.  The Gamecocks scored their final tally with just over six minutes left.  On the next possession D.J. Louis got open in the substitution game and took a shot,  but the goalie saved it.  Joseph Rose was once again there to collect the rebound and fire it home.  The Jackets were able to close the game and get the 13-6 win.  The win moves the Jackets to 2-0 in region and assures them of a playoff berth. 

The Jackets will travel to the Liberty University Flames for their next game.