Only days after defeating one of their toughest rivals, Scotia Glenville, the Amsterdam High School boys varsity lacrosse team faced yet another league rival Thursday afternoon at Lynch Literacy Academy Field. The Glens Falls team erupted for six goals in a decisive third quarter to top AHS 16-9 in a battle of Foothills Council contenders.
“We worked hard throughout the game, but we were a different team in the third quarter,” Amsterdam head coach Paul Furman said. “At some point we weren’t mentally focused.”
Amsterdam led 3-2 after the first quarter getting goals from John LaBahn, Matt Fedullo and Luigi Iorio, and fell behind at the half by only one, trailing 6-5, but the third period saw defensive lapses that opened lanes for Glens Falls attackers to get plenty of shots on goal. Andrew Bulmer got it started within the first minute of the second half picking up his third goal of the game at the 11:14 mark, and then the flood gates opened. AHS goalkeeper Jess Kellogg did what he could stopping several close range shots, but the Indians were winning too many ground ball situations.
Liam Forbes made it a three goal lead for Glens Falls at 8-5 when he found the net at the 9:59 mark in the third period. Amsterdam’s Luigi Iorio got some of the momentum back for the Rams when he stole the ball, and after the Glens Falls defense cleared out fired one past Indians goalkeeper Isiah Prunty cutting the lead to 8-6 with 8:32 left in the period. However, that was as close as the Rams would get as Henry Vandreminden, Aiden Defelice, and Andrew Murphy all scored within a two minutes stretch to boost the Glens Falls lead to 11-5 with just under five minutes left in what seemed was a third quarter that would never end. Amsterdam Coach Paul Furman used a time out to talk to his defense, but the Indians broke though again.
“At some point it had to click in that we could not do the things we were doing on defense,” Coach Furman said. “The third quarter was a difference maker, absolutely. We struggled from the third quarter on.”
Camilo Medina gave the Rams a little hope with a shot into the Glens Falls net with 1:39 left in the third frame, but Bulmer hustled down field and took a pass from Forbes before firing one past Kellogg giving Glens Falls a 12-7 lead headed into the fourth quarter. Forbes had recovered a ground ball just before finding Bulmer closing in on the AHS net, and in fact the Indians had won the battle for ground balls throughout the game getting 55 to Amsterdam’s 32.
“That was the game,” Coach Furman said. “Ground balls was the game, and the only thing that solves that is effort.”
Amsterdam had a better fourth quarter getting goals from Medina and Iorio, who each had three goals to lead the Rams, but in the end it wasn’t enough as Forbes, who along with Bulmer had four goals, scored twice, and Defelice and Murphy scored closing out the Glens Falls win. Amsterdam fell to 5-4 overall and 2-3 in the Foothills Council, yet will face each of its league opponents again, with the second half of its schedule still to play. After the game, Coach Furman summed up what it would take to achieve better results before the season’s end.
“Effort,” Coach Furman said.
Iorio and Medina scored for Amsterdam in the second period. Iorio’s coming in at point blank range was what gave the Rams a 4-3 lead at the 7:14 mark. Medina’s creative spin move to the left of Prunty put AHS up 5-4 with 4:19 left in the first half. Glens Falls got goals from David Botch, Bumer, Forbres, and Murphy, who’s second goal in the second period gave Glens Falls a 6-5 lead at halftime, and a lead in would not relinquish. Fedullo, Iorio, and Medina also had assists for Amsterdam.
Amsterdam will return to action on Thursday, April 28 when they travel to South Glens Falls High School for a 5pm contest against the Bulldogs. The Rams next home game is scheduled for Tuesday, May 3 against Schuylerville. Amsterdam’s final home game is scheduled for Tuesday, May 17 against Lasalle Institute at 7pm. Both home games will be played at Lynch Literacy Academy Field.
