Wildcats Come From Behind to Beat Lafayette 9-6 in Home Opener :: Foley and Driscoll score three goals apiece to lead Villanova attack

Feb. 24, 2008

VILLANOVA, Pa. - Senior Jay Foley (Montauk, N.Y.) and junior Tim Driscoll (Montville, N.J.) scored three goals apiece to lead the attack and Villanova (1-1) overcame a quick start by Lafayette (0-1) to win its home opener, 9-6, on Sunday at Villanova Stadium.

The Wildcats surrendered the game's first four goals to the visiting Leopards and trailed 4-0 just over a minute into the second quarter. However, Villanova then broke through offensively and scored nine of the game's next 10 goals. The Wildcats scored five unanswered goals during the remainder of the second period and led 5-4 at halftime.

Junior Tim Langan, Jr. (Madison, N.J.) scored at the 12:56 mark of the second quarter to get Villanova on the scoreboard and Driscoll netted back-to-back scores in just 36 seconds at 11:08 and 10:32. A man-up goal by senior Tim Atkins (West Chester, Pa.) at 5:31 tied the score and Foley provided the first Wildcat lead of the day with exactly four minutes remaining.

Driscoll scored his third goal midway through the third quarter but Lafayette answered with a Matt Mersky tally less than two minutes later. The Villanova margin stood at 6-5 with 5:22 left in the period but the Wildcats eventually scored three straight goals to secure the outcome. Sophomore Mark Scioscia (East Hampton, N.Y.) scored with just over a minute remaining in the third period and Foley tallied consecutive goals in the fourth.

Foley added two assists - both on Driscoll goals - and Scioscia finished with a goal and an assist as Villanova received points from seven different players in the win. Junior Andrew DiLoreto (Wilton, Conn.) withstood the early Leopards charge and made seven saves.

Lafayette scored on four of its first seven shots in the game to stake an early four-goal lead before the Wildcat defense turned the tables. Villanova owned an 8-6 edge in shots taken in the first period despite trailing 3-0 when the quarter ended. The Wildcats wound up with a 31-23 edge in the shot count.

Tom Perini scored two goals for Lafayette and John Galassi contributed a goal and an assist. Cesar Munoz won nine of the 14 faceoff opportunities he got and Jeff Canfield made 10 saves in goal.

Villanova goes back on the road its next time out and visits Penn at 1 p.m. next Saturday (March 1).