CLIFTON PARK — The first quarter didn’t go exactly as the Niskayuna boys’ lacrosse team had hoped, but the Silver Warriors bounced back from a slow start to pick up a Suburban Council win over Shenendehowa on Tuesday evening.
“It’s always a great win when you play against a really good opponent like Shenendehowa and a well-coached team,” said Niskayuna coach Mike Vorgang. “To get a win is always the goal, but to struggle a little bit and come back from the struggle I think is the most important part.”
After trailing by one goal after the first quarter, the Silver Warriors scored six consecutive goals to begin the second. They never looked back on the way to a 16-7 win.
“This is a game of runs for sure,” Vorgang said. “Jackson Massaroni on the faceoff ignited a lot of extra possessions. We clamped down a little bit and did a better job defensively. We got some stops, some clears and the offense started to click a little bit.”
Shen’s Mason Carroll helped the Plainsmen get off to a strong start, scoring three goals in the first quarter as the Plainsmen clung to a 3-2 advantage.
Tanner Williams started Niskayuna’s run of six straight goals in the second quarter and was followed by two from Lucas Klokiw. Greyson Vorgang tacked on two, while also Davey Carroll scored as the Silver Warriors capped off an impressive stretch.
After trading jabs to begin the third quarter, the Silver Warriors went on another run, scoring four in a row.
“Our coaches really prepared us for this game. They got on us a little bit, but we all responded the way we had to,” Klokiw said, continuing about the difference between the first quarter and the rest of the game for Niskayuna. “Just pushing in transition and making the hustle plays.”
Overall, Saif Chowdhrey and Klokiw led in scoring with four goals apiece, while Chowdhrey tacked on an assist. Greyson Vorgang also had a big game with three goals and three assists. Dillon Licht tacked on two goals and an assist.
“Last year, in our first game, we lost to them and it was heartbreaking,” Chowdhrey said of Niskayuna’s 8-6 loss to Shen to begin the 2022 season. “This year we used that motivation and we took it and ran with it.”
Carroll went on to lead the Plainsmen with four goals, while Nathan Wolfe and Freddy Hicks each contributed a goal and an assist.
Niskayuna has begun the 2023 season with a 3-0 overall record and 2-0 in the Suburban Council. The Silver Warriors are next scheduled to visit Saratoga Springs on Friday at 11 a.m.
Shenendehowa is now 1-2 overall and 1-1 in the Suburban Council. The Plainsmen will host Section I’s Mamaroneck in a non-league contest on Saturday at 11:30 a.m.
Niskayuna 2 6 5 3 — 16
Shenendehowa 3 1 1 2 — 7
Niskayuna scoring: Chowdhrey 4-1, Carroll 1-1, Vorgang 3-3, Klokiw 4-0, Williams 1-0, Licht 2-1, Abdu 0-1, Massaroni 1-0. Shenendehowa scoring: Goldman 1-0, Wolfe 1-1, Carroll 4-0, Hicks 1-1. Goalies: Niskayuna, Harvey, 11 saves. Shenendehowa, Standaert, Leska, 15 saves.
Categories: -Sports-, Clifton Park and Halfmoon, High School Sports, Sports, Your Niskayuna
