Like hockey, goals in lacrosse are known to be scored in front of the net rather than far away from it. But when you're playing a game in Johnny Unitas Stadium, why not make a memory measured in yards?
Last-second strategy for UMass lacrosse: 'Hucked it at the net and hoped for the best'
In a crazy finish Thursday night, Dan Muller ended Hofstra's lacrosse season and extended UMass' with a buzzer-beating goal from 35 yards out.
May 5, 2017 at 4:30AM
The Massachusetts men's lacrosse team was completely outplayed a couple of weeks ago against No. 14 Hofstra in a 15-8 defeat, one that UMass coach Greg Cannella called the team's worst performance of the season.
The Minutemen (7-7) got the ultimate revenge Thursday night in the Colonial Athletic Association tournament semifinals when Dan Muller ended the Pride's season and in turn extended UMass' with a buzzer-beating goal from 35 yards out as time expired at Johnny Unitas Stadium.
"I didn't know the rule, so I just kind of hucked it at the net and hoped for the best," Muller said. "I thought he saved it but then I saw it pop up behind him and just kind of went nuts. I didn't know what to do at first. I'd never been apart of any play like that in my life so I was really good to be honest."
Muller turned a fired a shot near midfield toward Hofstra goalkeeper Jack Concanon (11 saves) as time was winding down. The ball found the back of the net, and the dramatic win advances the No. 3-seeded Minutemen to the CAA finals on Saturday against top-seeded Towson (9-4), which bested Drexel 8-4 in the semifinals Thursday.
"I knew it [was good] because I heard the horn and the ball was in the air," Cannella said. "Everybody on our bench knew and the officials were like, 'huh? What?' It's crazy."
After hundreds of Minnesotans got a head start on finalizing their athletic scholarships in November and December, more can begin choosing their college destination beginning Wednesday.
