In a thrilling game of lacrosse, the Manhattan Jaspers secured a hard-fought 6-5 victory over Navy on Saturday afternoon at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Led by goalkeeper Joseph Persico’s stunning career-high 22 saves, the Jaspers shut down the Navy offense, holding them scoreless for the last 26 minutes of the game.
Despite a strong start by Navy, who took an early 3-0 lead, the Jaspers were able to regroup and mount a comeback. Grad student midfielder Tadhg O’Riordan scored the game-winning goal with just one minute remaining in the game, capping off an impressive second-half performance by the Jaspers, who outscored Navy 5-1 after the break.
The game was a defensive battle, with both teams struggling to find the back of the net. Manhattan’s defense was particularly strong, limiting Navy to just one goal in the second half. The Jaspers’ offense was led by Liam Walshe, who scored a hat-trick, and O’Riordan, who contributed two goals and an assist.
After the game, Navy head coach Joe Amplo praised the Jaspers for their impressive performance, stating, “Those guys played their tails off today. It was extremely impressive. They had a plan, they stuck to it, and they didn’t let our early lead get to them.”
Despite the loss, Navy was boosted by the performance of faceoff specialist Anthony Ghobriel, who won 8 of 10 faceoffs. However, Navy’s offense struggled to find its rhythm, with the starting attack and midfield combining for just two goals on 40 shots.
The win moves Manhattan to 2-0 on the season, while Navy falls to 3-1. The Midshipmen will look to bounce back next week when they face off against High Point, while the Jaspers will aim to build on their impressive start to the season.