WATERVILLE, Maine

Thomas (3-6, 2-2 NAC) was able to hold on for an 8-7 victory over Johnson State (0-7, 0-5 NAC) in a back and forth North Atlantic Conference (NAC) men’s lacrosse game Saturday afternoon. Junior Gunnar Shelton (Eugene, Ore.) had three goals and one assist in the win.
The Badgers were able to get on the board first, as Tanner Cross (East Montpelier, Vt.) scored at the 10:10 mark in the opening quarter. Thomas would respond less than a minute later however, with Parker Chute (Exeter, N.H.) scoring one of his two goals off a feed from Jordan Marino (Londonderry, N,H.). Both teams would exchange goals finishing the first 3-2 in the visiting sides favor.

The second quarter would start off with another Johnson tally, as Cross would find Alan Bickings (Waterville, Vt.) to push the lead to two goals. The Terriers would find the back of the twine at 6:55 from Sean Machin (Brunswick, Maine), but the one goal deficit would only last 12 seconds as Matt Dekens (Johnson, Vt.) put the Badgers up by two for the second time of the game. Marino would give Thomas another marker at 5:24 off a pass from Shelton finishing the half down 5-4.

Chute would get his second goal of the game right at the start of the second half to bring the score to five all. At 8:40 Johnson got a goal from Jacod Eustis (Cumberland, Maine) on a man up advantage, taking the slim lead briefly before Shelton would strike again for the Terriers. A man up goal from Shelton would give Thomas their first lead of the game at 3:19 in the third quarter. The teams would go into the final quarter tied at seven as Dekens tallied another Johnson goal with 16 seconds remaining in the quarter.

The final quarter would be a strong defensive battle, as the only goal came at the 11:39 mark when Shelton broke the tie, assisted by Machin. The tally would hold up as the game-winner, as senior keeper Jesse Morkeski (Damariscotta, Maine) made 10 of his 19 saves in the fourth shutting down the Badgers attack.

Marino would finish with one goal and three assists, while Chute had two tallies in the win.
Zach Jermone (Waterford, Conn.) was registered with the loss for Johnson State, making 11 saves on 19 shots. Dekens and Cross would both have a team-high two goals in the losing effort.
Johnson held a 44-30 advantage in groundballs, while controlling the faceoff circle winning 14-17. Thomas was 3-5 during man up opportunities on the day, while its counterpart was 1-7.
The Terriers will have little time to recoup as they return to the turf tomorrow hosting conference foe New England College at noon while the Badgers will play Me-Farmington at 12:00 in Maine.