SWAMPSCOTT — After dropping its first two games of the season by close margins, the Swampscott boys lacrosse team came into Saturday afternoon’s contest against Essex Tech at Blocksidge Field hoping the third time would be the charm.
Thanks to freshman midfielder Vincent Palmer, that’s exactly how things played out.
In a game that was back-and-forth from start to finish, the Hawks scored the final goal in regulation with 3:32 remaining to force a four-minute overtime period with a 7-7 tie. With 1:22 to play in overtime, Palmer fired the game-winner into the back of the net to give the Big Blue an 8-7 win- their first victory of the season.
“I told the kids, ‘we’re a young team and that’s what we needed’,” Big Blue coach Todd Pierce said. “The best part, like I told the guys, is we all made mistakes, including myself. I made at least three that I know of. I’m sure a lot of people had me making more. But we overcame our mistakes. We didn’t panic about them.”
Darian Wulf led Swampscott with three goals and two assists. Kyle Fitzgerald logged one goal and three assists, and Justin DeSalvo tallied one goal and one assist. Palmer, Christian Pierro and Collin Walsh scored one goal, and Ethan Eichler dished one assist. Goalie Tim Perlin made eight saves.
To Essex Tech’s credit, anytime the Big Blue took a lead it was relatively short lived. Swampscott claimed a 1-0 lead on Wulf’s goal 90 seconds into the game before the Hawks knotted the game at 1-1 three minutes later. Swampscott led 4-2 at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter saw both defenses keep each offense at bay for the majority of the period. DeSalvo got the Big Blue back on the board with a goal in the closing minutes but the Hawks answered quickly, scoring with 38.8 seconds left in the half. At halftime, the Big Blue led 5-3.
“Essex Tech has a great program,” Pierce said. “They’ve improved leaps and bounds in the last few years. Once we get into the Northeastern Conference, I don’t think there’s a better conference out there.”
After each team swapped a pair of goals, Swampscott held a 7-5 advantage in the closing minute of the third quarter. The Hawks inched closer with another late goal, this time with 7.0 seconds left in the quarter, to make it a 7-6 game moving into the fourth.
Essex Tech scored the lone goal of the fourth quarter, with 3:32 remaining in regulation, to force overtime and set the stage for Palmer’s game-winner.
“I’m psyched to see Vincent score because he’s had the freshman adjustment coming in,” Pierce said. “He’s had a lot of success as a youth player. He’s beginning to learn that it’s not the same game. He had two goals so it’s nice to see him score.”
Pierce noted that the win is a step in the right direction for his young team.
“I think it was a big win for us because we’re playing a lot of freshmen and sophomores,” Pierce said. “They continued playing and believing in each other. If we can keep that up all year, we’ll be ok no matter what happens.”
Swampscott’s back in action Wednesday when the Big Blue (1-2) host Winthrop.
