Montclair, NJ – Junior
TYLER MCCREERY scored three goals, assisted on six others and set the single-season record for points as second-seeded Montclair State knocked off third-seeded and defending champion Kean University, 12-11 in the semifinals of Colonial States Athletic Conference Tournament on Tuesday evening.
The victory, the Red Hawks sixth straight, sends MSU into the conference championship game on Saturday, May 7 against top-seeded Stockton in Galloway, NJ at 1:00 pm. It will be Montclair's second appearance in the title game as it fell to the Ospreys, 14-11 in 2019. The Red Hawks will also look to avenge a 15-14 loss at Stockton back on April 2.
CHRISTIAN BOYLE had four goals, including a key goal with three minutes left.
CONNOR GABILANES scored twice with McCreery totaling a goal and assist. Goalkeeper
DAVID METZGER stopped 12 shots and forced three turnovers.
DAVID DRISCOLL and
ANDREA FIORENZA combined to win 14 faceoffs.
Meeting for the second time in six days, Kean scored three straight to take a 3-1 lead midway through the first before the Red Hawks answered with a three-goal run of their own.
TYLER MCCREERY netted the first with Gabilanes' unassisted tally with 2:15 left gave Montclair a 5-4 lead after one period.
The teams traded two-goal spurts in the second quarter with the Cougars Nick Fischetti connecting with four minutes to play as the teams headed to intermission tied at 6-6.
Gabilanes got the first goal of the third, however Connor Batjer and Anthony Porter countered for Kean giving the Cougars an 8-7 advantage with 10 minutes left. MSU answered with three in a row, the last two by Boyle putting the Red Hawks back on top 10-8 heading into the final period.
Batjer scored back-to-back to open the fourth as Kean knotted the contest at 10-10 with 9:30 remaining.
TYLER MCCREERY regained the lead for MSU finishing off a feed from brother Michael and then set up Boyle 34 seconds later as Montclair State led 12-10. Batjer cut that back to a goal 18 seconds later.
The Red Hawks one the ensuing faceoff and had two chances to extend its lead but came up empty.
MATT DANCSECS hit the post and Cougar goalkeeper Thomas Francy denied Covino with 1;54 to play. Ken would get the ball back with 49 seconds and called timeout. Off the stoppage, Brady Moore fired a shot that went wide. Kean kept possession and had one final opportunity, but Metzger snared Moore's attempt with 22 seconds. Montclair ran out the remainder of the clock for the win.
TYLER MCCREERY broke the single-season points mark of 96 set by Neil Blaney in 1992. He now has 102 on the season. The junior also jumped up to fourth on the all-time scoring list as he raised his point total to 217.
