Jackets storm into SELC Tournament but fall one goal short of the Title!

The 2013 season was special to say the least. This season alone we beat the following teams- all ranked when we played them- Pittsburgh, SUNY-Buffalo, Clemson, Georgia and Virginia Tech. We had some lows- losing to UCF, Auburn and NC State. But all year long the guys matured, bought in and continued to fight. We were led by a bevy of freshman and sophomore’s which is exciting for the future. In the final weekend of the regular season our victory over Georgia captured our division title outright and earned the team the right to play in the SELC tournament. No one understood what was about to unfold.

A recap from the SELC tournament weekend:

FRIDAY, APRIL 26; Facing Wake Forest after an early season close contact won by Tech.

Georgia Tech 12   Wake Forest 5

The game was never in question as Tech raced out to a 6-0 halftime lead. Freshman Chris OBrien scored three goals and two assists on the night. He was backed up by Sophomore Trey Gantt’s own hat trick to boot. Sophomore Alex Roe and Junior Colin Granger each added two goals while freshman duo Evan Jarecki and Danny Radke each found the back of the net once each. The defense was led by a strong performance by Freshman goalie Matt Sommerfeldt (17 saves) and close defensemen Senior Joe Burton and a trio of freshman in Tuna Gregory, David Cyron and Danny Coughlin. Another freshman Brian Vakimer, along with senior Ryan Foarde held down long stick midfielder duties. The win advanced Tech into the semi finals versus Virginia Tech

GT   3   3   4   2- 12

WF   0   0   2   3- 5

GT Goals- OBrien 3, Gantt 3, Granger 2, Roe 2, Jarecki, Radke

GT Assists- OBrien 2, Stapleton, Roe, McClane

GT Saves- Sommerfeldt 16, Mahoney 4

SATURDAY, ARIL 27; It was only three years ago in the semi-finals Tech lost to Virginia Tech 22-5. The seniors on the team were freshman on that team and wanted revenge, earlier in the season up in Knoxville the Hokies came from behind in the 4^th quarter to nip the Jackets. The seniors would get their victory in another hard fought close contest.

Georgia Tech 7   Virginia Tech 6

Early on it was the Hokies controlling the ball offensively as they jumped out to a 1-0 lead. Tech tied it up when freshman Ben Mertz would score off an athletic drive to the goal. Soon after the Hokies would score two straight over a one minute span to seize the momentum again. But the Jackets defense stepped up with tight pressure to stymie the Hokies and not allow the game to get away. Trailing by two goals Tech would respond when the freshman phenom Mertz would strike again, using superior quickness. With only a one goal separation Tech would press the issue and would actually tie the game at three each when Sophomore Mick Stapleton would rip a goal on a feed from Colin Granger. Virginia Tech would not let the Jackets gain momentum and they would strike again with one minute left in the quarter and head into halftime leading 4-3.

Entering the second half Tech would come out firing and four minutes in would take the lead behind goals from Mertz and Trey Gantt. But like the first half, the Hokies would strike late and tie the game at five goals each entering the final quarter... or so we thought. After a winning face off by sophomore midfielder Chris Tynan, Mick Stapleton would feed a wide open long stick midfielder Brian Vakimer on the crease who buried the shot to give Tech the one goal advantage entering the final quarter of play. Sommerfeldt and the entire defense played confidently all quarter. They limited any chances by the Hokies.

Not wanting a repeat of Knoxville in a back and forth game Tech would build a two goal lead midway through the final stanza. But with 4 minutes remaining Virginia Tech would strike to make it close at 7-6 but the Tech defense would preserve the win and advance Tech to the conference finals. For the first time since 2004 with a signature victory!

GT   0   3  3   1- 7

VT   1   3   1   1- 6

GT Goals- Mertz 3, Stapleton 2, Vakimer, Gantt

GT Assists- Granger

GT Saves- Sommerfeldt 17

SUNDAY, APRIL 28; The SELC finals in a driving rainstorm against the Bulldogs after our victory ending an 8 year drought earlier in the week. Georgia needed to win in Oxford, MS Sunday following their loss to the Jackets to secure a slot, in the tournament and had endured a 4 OT victory Vs Clemson in the first round.  Both teams were tired, both wanted victory badly, conditions were poor. It was a hard fought close contest wire to wire.

Georgia 7   Georgia Tech 6

Georgia was primed for revenge and opened with an offensive onslaught in an extended possession but Tech would jump out to a 2-0 lead after blunting their offense with some classic defense. After a two straight games Tech seemed a little sluggish and tried to find that fire inside to continue the momentum but UGa was not backing down and they would score late in the opening quarter to make it a 2-1 affair. In the second quarter, both teams seem to find their footing and matched goals. Tech would get scores from Granger and Mertz to enter the half leading 4-3.

At that time the skies opened up and delayed the second half start by 30 minutes. The Jackets tried to find their mojo early but it was all UGa as the game resumed as they tied it up at four goals each. After some long possessions by both teams, that lead to zero goals, Tech would forge ahead behind another athletic Mertz goal with one minute remaining in the quarter. But as the fourth quarter approached the legs were fading in what was becoming a shear endurance contest. In the 4^th the defense was amazing behind Sommerfeldt’s terrific play between the pipes and the close defense thwarting the high scoring UGa attack. Midway through the quarter as the dawgs struck twice and built a two goal lead over a five minute span. But the young Jackets simply would not quit and made a late run. They fought hard and finally wrinkled the net with two minutes left to make the score 7-6 on a great fast break goal, Tech would then force a turn over with one minute remaining and clear it to the offensive end, but as coach Lovic was strongly requesting a time out it would not be granted. A scramble ensued with multiple ground ball battles as the clock ran out on the Yellow Jackets and Georgia preserved the 7-6 win and won the SELC title… Whew!  It is what rivalries are made off.

GT   2   2   0   1- 5

UGa   1   2   1   2- 6

GT Goals- OBrien, Roe, Mertz, Stapleton, Granger 

GT Assists- Granger, Hughes

GT Saves- Sommerfeldt 20

Congratulations to our 2013 season award winners!

TEAM AWARDS

Most Improved- Alex Roe

Coach's Award- David Cyron

MVP- Colin Granger

Offensive MVP- Mick Stapleton

Defensive MVP- Matt Sommerfeldt

Rookie of the Year- Alex Kiehl Award- Offense- Danny Radke/Defense- Oliver "Tuna" Gregory

JB Crenshaw Club- John Mahoney, Phil Georgakakos, Akram Abrahim

SELC ALL CONFERENCE TEAM

1st Team- Goalie- Matt Sommerfedlt

1st Team- Defense- Oliver "Tuna" Gregory

2nd Team- Midfield- Mick Stapleton

2nd Team- Midfield- Colin Granger

SELC ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM

Goalie- Matt Sommerfedlt

Defense- David Cyron

Attack- Chris OBrien

Midfield- Chris Tynan

MCLA ALL AMERICA- HONORABLE MENTION

Matt Sommerfeldt

ATLANTA, GA- It's been a long wait, but the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (12-4, 4-1) ended an eight year stretch of losses to their cross-state rivals, the University of Georgia (11-4, 3-1), behind 17 saves from freshman goalie Matt Sommerfeldt (Marietta, GA/Pope) by a score of 8-5. The game was played at Tech's Roe Stamps Turf field in Atlanta. The long time carpet turf of the Jackets is being replaced this summer marking this game as the last contest to be played on the "carpet". The win clinched the southwest division title for the Yellow Jackets and a return to the Southeastern Lacrosse Conference Tournament.