Standouts From No. 1 Episcopal Academy vs. No. 5 St. Anthony's

On Thursday night, Rutgers University hosted a matchup between No. 1 Episcopal Academy (Pa.) and No. 5 St. Anthony's (N.Y.). To say that this highly anticipated contest lived up to the hype is an understatement.   The first half was an exciting back-and-forth affair. Then, late in the 2nd quarter, with the score knotted at 3-3, St. Anthony's attackman Danny Rooney swept around from X, caught a pass on the crease, and deposited the ball into the net. Rooney's goal gave St. Anthony's a 4-3 lead at halftime.   In the third quarter, St. Anthony's struck first via a jump shot from the left hash by Charlie Cacciabaudo as the Friars extended their lead to 5-3. But Episcopal responded by scoring five of the next six goals and grabbed an 8-6 lead late in the 4th quarter. Included in that offensive blitz by EA was a fantastic lefty rip on the run from [player_tooltip player_id='143461' first='Mason' last='Holm'] (Rutgers) as well as a 15-yard, low sidearm crank by [player_tooltip player_id='40420' first='Parker' last='Smith'] (Villanova).   But St. Anthony's rallied back in the late 4th quarter. In the final minutes of the game, the Friars received a huge goal from Brody Richert to pull within one. St. Anthony's then forced overtime on the game-tying goal by Charlie Cacciabaudo.   Early in the overtime period, St. Anthony's Jacob Johnston (Johns Hopkins) lost his man on a quick dive to the net from up top, received a beautiful feed from Danny Rooney, and then fired an overhand shot into the net for the game-winner.   Below is a review of the prospects who played outstanding lacrosse during the Episcopal Academy (Pa.) versus St. Anthony's (N.Y.) game.   St. Anthony's    This UNC commit buried three goals from his attack spot, and what really stood out during those tallies was Cacciabaudo's quick release and shot placement. On each of his three goals, Cacciabaudo's precise aim put the ball in a spot where EA's goalie had no chance of making a save. In addition to his incredible shooting, Cacciabaudo turned heads with smart and timely off-ball movements. His most impressive goal of the night was the game-tying tally late in the fourth quarter. During that play, Cacciabaudo cut down the hash to the crease, hauled in a difficult pass, and then in the same motion, spun and fired a low bouncer into the net.     During SA's overtime win, Rooney notched two goals to go along with three assists. Included in Rooney's outstanding performance last night was the filthy dime he delivered to a cutting Jacob Johnston for the game-winner. Rooney's offensive versatility was on full display last night. In addition to feeding cutters for multiple tallies, this Maryland commit scored via well-timed off-ball movements. His smart and quick cuts enabled Rooney to lose his defender repeatedly. Rooney also showed his tenacity and endless energy on several rides.     On Thursday night, Johnson was a dominating force at the face-off dot, which meant that St. Anthony's played downhill all game. EA tried several different options on face-offs, including long poles, and none of those ideas slowed Johnson down. The UNC signee secured wins via clean pick-n-pops as well as by chasing down loose balls and then vacuuming up the GB. Johnson then used his explosive burst to swiftly push the ball into the offensive end. His refined stick skills allowed Johnson to distribute the rock smoothly while running full speed. Johnson's ability to mix up his exit strategies kept his opponents off-balance.    Episcopal Academy    Last night, Smith once again demonstrated that he possesses a quick first step, slick change-of-direction moves, and elite shooting skills. Smith recorded a hat trick against St. Anthony's that included two fantastic snipes. One of those goals was a remarkable sidearm rip from the wing that he buried top corner. Parker's swift load and release on that goal grabbed everyone's attention. The Villanova coaching staff will love the field vision and timing Parker displayed on a host of nice passes he delivered. Parker's non-stop motor made him difficult to defend off-ball.     Even though this was a close game throughout and EA held a two-goal lead late in the second half, it felt like the Churchmen were playing defense for most of the night. Brickman, a Georgetown commit, met that challenge and anchored EA's defensive unit against St. Anthony's onslaught. This athletic and versatile pole operated at both close defense and LSM. Brickman used his speed and polished footwork to pursue ball carriers all over the field. He caused turnovers via slaps and lifts as well as by disrupting passing lanes with his active stick. Additionally, Brickman impressed with his ability to snare GBs in traffic. The future Hoya was a plus player in EA's clearing game, too.

On Thursday night, Rutgers University hosted a matchup between No. 1 Episcopal Academy (Pa.) and No. 5 St. Anthony's (N.Y.). To say that this highly anticipated contest lived up to the hype is an understatement.