SWAMPSCOTT – The Swampscott boys? lacrosse team continued to dominate in the Northeastern Conference/South, routing the Lynn Shamrocks, 13-2, at Phillips Park on Thursday.
?I?m really happy with the way we?re playing,” said Swampscott coach Todd Pierce. “We?re progressing well. (Thursday), we continued to run our systems and play as a team despite the score.”
Swampscott improved to 7-3 with the win, and are now 7-0 in the NEC/South, whileLynn fell to 2-8.
Lynn got off to a fast start, keeping the pressure on Swampscott?s defense. Eventually, the Shamrocks broke through as Corey Wojewodzic netted one.
The Big Blue came storming back, with Devin Conroy scoring the first of his three goals less than a minute after Lynn got on the board. Conroy netted another with 20 seconds left in the half, intercepting a pass in front of Lynn?s net and flicking one past Shamrocks goalie Jesse Freeman. Jason Dignan scored his first of four just seconds after Conroy started the scoring for Swampscott.
The second quarter was when the Big Blue really broke out, with Swampscott scoring five times before the half. Dignan and Conroy were again the big scorers, and Spencer Mulvey also had his first of two. Sean Hemenway got one back for the Shamrocks, but Swampscott dominated the quarter, and the score was 8-2 at the half.
The Big Blue scored another five goals in the third quarter. While Lynn created some opportunities on offense, it was unable to put any away.
Sophomore Ryan Dignan got the start in net for the Big Blue, and played a solid game, stifling the Shamrocks, despite pressure from Lynn throughout the contest.
?He?s only been a goalie for the past two weeks,” Pierce said. “He earned the right to play today.”
Lynn?s defense stepped up its intensity in the fourth quarter, holding Swampscott scoreless in the last 12 minutes. Freeman faced over 30 shots from the Big Blue throughout the course of the game.
?We worked really hard, but they?re a deep team,” said Shamrocks coach Peter Pappagianopoulos.
Pierce praised the play of his entire team, but mentioned senior attack Sebastian Camelo specifically as an under-the-radar player who has been performing well.
?We?re seeing exciting progress from him,” Pierce said. “Physically he has it all, and he works hard, and he?s looked good.”
Pierce likes the balanced approach his team is showing.
?Defensively we?re strong, and we very strong in the midfield,” he said. “We have three of the best midfielders in this division. We have a senior-laden team.”
Though a young program, the Shamrocks? progress is evident to its opponents.
?(Pappagianopoulos) is working hard to build a program over there,” Pierce said of the Lynn team. “The results may not be there yet, but they?re lucky to have him as the coach. That team plays the game the right way.”Katie Morrison can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @KatieMo61.