Lacrosse: Air Force takes 11-7 season-opening win

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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFNEWS) --  Backed by five goals from senior Conrad Lochocki, of Chalfont, Pa., the Air Force lacrosse team opened the 2007 campaign with an 11-7 victory over Siena Feb. 25 at the Cadet Lacrosse Stadium.

Siena scored the only goal of the first period, but the Falcons came alive in the second, tallying five unanswered goals. Senior Will Meister, of Denver, Colo., tallied the Falcons' first point of the season, as he took a pass from sophomore Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.) and edged the ball around Siena's back-up goaltender at the 13:07 mark.

The duo also combined for Air Force's second goal just three minutes later, as Nevitt scored off of Meister's pass. Meister continued to hand out assists, as he helped Lochocki to a pair of goals in less than two minutes. The Falcons closed out the second period with one more goal, as senior Michael Weber, of Wantagh, N.Y., took a pass from classmate Justin Kuchta of Ridgefield, Conn.

Siena rallied in the first five minutes of the third period, scoring a pair of goals to bring the Saints to within two, but Lochocki quickly answered with another pair of back-to-back goals. Teaming up with Meister once again, he found the back of the net to double the Falcons' lead at 6-3, before scoring on an unassisted strike.

Junior Jack Parchman, of Baltimore, Md., gave the Falcons' a five-goal lead, as he took a pass from Kuchta with just seven seconds left in the period.

Air Force earned its first short-handed goal of the season, as Lochocki fed the ball to junior Kevin Crumrine, of Edgewater, Md., at the 9:38 mark of the final period. Siena added a pair of goals, but Kutcha, from Nevitt and Lochocki, from Meister, scored twice within a 30-second span to seal the game for the Falcons. The Saints tallied the final two goals of the game, but Air Force improved to 1-0 on the season behind the 11-7 victory.

Senior goalkeeper Daniel Bellissimo, of Glen Grove, N.Y., earned the win with 15 saves, 11 of which came in the second half.

The Falcons outshot the Saints 46-38, while Siena held the 12-10 advantage on face-offs. Air Force also took advantage of extra-man opportunities, scoring on two of its four chances.

The Falcons travel to Denver next weekend for the Pioneer Face-Off Classic. Air Force will play UMBC March 3 before facing Villanova March 4. 

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