(Men’s Lacrosse Results Below)
SALEM — Salem State junior goaltender Marcus Zelzer (Green Bay, WI) has been named one of nine finalists for the 2016 Sid Watson Award, which is presented annually to the nation’s best NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey player.
Zelzer led Salem State to the 2015-16 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) title and a NCAA Tournament berth. Zelzer, who co-led the nation with four shutouts, finished the regular season first in the MASCAC in both goals against average (1.76) and save percentage (.932). He finished the regular season with a 16-1 record and carried a fifteen game unbeaten streak into the conference playoffs, where he notched two more victories, including a shutout in the championship game before losing to Williams in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Zelzer would be the first MASCAC player to win the award.
“Marcus is clearly one of the best, if not the best goaltender Salem State University has seen in a number of yearsâ€, states Salem State Director of Athletics and Recreation, Peggy Carl.  “His 25 blocked shots in the championship game of the MASCAC Tournament are certainly proof positive of his talents. Beyond his raw ability though, is a young man committed to preparation.  Not only is he an outstanding athlete, he is also one of our brightest students. Marcus’ preparation on and off the ice was amazing to watch and will continue to pay dividends well after his college days as he pursues a legal career.  I’m really thrilled that Marcus has been nominated for this award, as he is truly deserving.”
Sponsored by the American Hockey Coaches Association, the Watson Award honors the memory of former legendary Bowdoin head coach Sid Watson. A three-time AHCA Coach of the Year, Watson spent more than 30 years at Bowdoin, where he won 326 games in 24 seasons as a head coach.
The recipient of this year’s Watson Award will be announced on Thursday, March 24 during the 2016 NCAA Division III Men’s Championship student-athlete banquet in Lake Placid, N.Y.
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BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – Senior Ben Melaugh (Billerica, Mass.) netted a hat trick and three assists for six points to lead Salem State to a 12-7 non-league college men’s lacrosse victory over Massachusetts Maritime Tuesday evening at Clean Harbors Stadium.
The visiting Vikings (4-2) extended a 3-2 first quarter lead to five (7-2) at the break with four unanswered tallies in the second stanza, but the host Buccaneers (4-3) collected the first three markers after intermission to close back to within two at 7-5 on sophomore Keaghan Bartley’s (Richmond, Va.) man-up goal with 8:20 to play in the third quarter. Salem State regained control of the contest by netting five of the next six goals, including a pair off the stick of senior Jacob Scordato (Milford, Mass.), to ice its triumph, and the visitors converted 10 Massachusetts Maritime penalties into a trio of man-up markers on the evening.
Scordato joined Melaugh in netting a hat trick in the win for the Vikings, who also received a pair of goals and three assists from senior Alex Pearsons (Burlington, Mass.) as well as two tallies and a pair of helpers off the stick of freshman David Dempsey (Tewksbury, Mass.). Senior Bobby Bourgeois (Billerica, Mass.) collected a goal and assist on the night for Salem State, which also received a marker from senior Sean Quinlan (Lowell, Mass.) and single helpers from senior William Angell (Littleton, Mass.) and junior Steve Hanley (Waltham, Mass.).
Junior Steven Anderson (Crownsville, Md.) notched a hat trick in the setback for Massachusetts Maritime, which also received a goal and two assists from junior Ryan McNeill (Burlington, Mass.). Junior Joseph Landy (Chatham, N.J.) and freshman Jake O’Riordan (Marshfield, Mass.) also tallied for the Buccaneers, who received assists off the sticks of senior Anthony Kurylak (Exeter, N.H.) as well as freshmen Cody Livermore (Ludlow, Mass.) and Ted Powers (Marshfield, Mass.).
Sophomore Kevin Lally (Beverly, Mass.) picked up the win in goal for Salem State with a 14-save effort, while senior James Klose (Ellicott City, Md.) made 13 stops in the setback for Massachusetts Maritime as the Vikings outshot the Buccaneers by a 38-34 margin while overcoming 27 turnovers in the contest.
Massachusetts Maritime will be idle until Wednesday, March 30th when the Buccaneers travel to Nashua, N.H. to take on Rivier in a non-league outing that begins at 7:00 p.m., while Salem State heads to Newton, Mass. on Saturday afternoon to square off with Lasell in a non-league match beginning at 1:00.
