Box Score WALTHAM, Mass. – No. 11 ranked Pace rallied in the final minute to force overtime, then won on a goal by graduate student Kyle Casey 1:10 into overtime for a 16-15 victory over No. 16 ranked Bentley on Saturday afternoon.
Bentley led 15-12 after an unassisted goal by junior Eric Makhatadze (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) with 5:18 remaining in the game.
The teams then traded possessions several times before Pace got the ball back with 1:03 left. A successful clear attempt led to a goal by Anthony Caputo, one of his five on the day, with Casey on the assist, with 49 seconds left.
Pace then won the ensuing faceoff and that led to a goal by Jake Veres, with Caputo the provider, to make it a 15-14 game with 26 seconds remaining.
The Setters gained possession after the goal after a ground ball was picked up by Griffin Shiland, which led to another goal by Veres with just seven seconds left to tie the score 15-15.
Pace gained the first possession of overtime after a ground ball pick up by Rafael Rodriguez. A shot by Rodriguez went wide with 58 seconds elapsed but Pace maintained possession. That led to Casey scoring on the next shot to give the Setters the win.
Bentley led 9-8 at halftime and outscored the Setters 4-2 in the 3rd quarter. Two goals in the early going of the quarter by Birch and freshman Nathan Alviti (New Fairfield, Conn./New Fairfield) gave Bentley an 11-8 lead. After a goal by Caputo, a man-up tally by Matty O'Brien (Rockland, Mass./Rockland) and a goal by Luke Jaber (Milton, Mass./BC High) at the 2:51 mark gave Bentley a 13-9 lead. Casey pulled one back for Pace before the quarter was over with 57 seconds left.
That started a 3-0 run for Pace that continued into the 4th quarter. Two quick goals by Tm Cairo and Veres cut the Falcon lead to 13-12 at the 13:02 mark.
But Bentley answered with a 2-0 run, as goals by Birch at 6:50 and Makhatadze at 5:18 gave them a 15-12 lead.
Jaber led Bentley's offense on the day with three goals and two assists. Sophomore Cam Bartolomeo (Meriden, Conn./Xavier) had a career-high 12 ground balls and went 18-27 in the faceoff circle.
Goalie Keaton Roarick (Old Saybrook, Conn./Old Saybrook) made 14 saves and Ragusa turned away 20 shots for Pace.
The Falcons (6-4, 5-3 NE10) will look to bounce back next Saturday when they host Adelphi on Senior Day.
