Providence celebrates its 9-7 win over Marquette.
#BIGEASTmlax Minute – Denver, Providence And Marquette Are In
NEW YORK, N.Y. – After Saturday’s games, Denver, Providence and Marquette are all ready to start planning for the first weekend in May as all three teams have qualified for the BIG EAST Championship presented by Jeep. One spot is left for either Villanova or St. John’s to claim. The Red Storm and Wildcats meet on Saturday. Should Villanova win, the league championship field would be set. The two unbeaten teams, Denver and Providence (3-0), will meet in Denver this upcoming Saturday.
This past Saturday, Denver held on for a 18-12 win over St. John’s in Queens, extending their all-time conference record to 19-0. Providence defeated Marquette 9-7 at home, the fifth-straight win for the Friars. In all five wins, Providence has held their opponents to eight or less goals. Villanova defeated Georgetown 17-12 on the road, rebounding from their loss at Denver last week.
No. 4/4 Denver 18, St. John’s 12
BOX SCORE
Denver head coach Bill Tierney became the seventh head coach in Division I history to coach game No. 500 in his career. Tierney is second in Division I wins with 377, and is three wins behind Duke coach John Danowski. Connor Cannizzaro turned in a six-point day, scoring five goals, all in the second half, on just seven shots to go with his 19th assist of the season. Cannizzaro extended the nation's longest active point streak to 52 games. Junior faceoff man Trevor Baptiste turned in another 75+% day at the X, going 22-for-29 from the dot, while picking up 13 ground balls and adding his eighth goal of the season. Freshman Ethan Walker added a five-point day for Denver with two goals and three helpers for the Pioneers' attack. Red Storm freshman midfielder Joe Madsen scored five goals. St. John’s trailed by just two at the start of the third period.
No. 20 Villanova 17, Georgetown 12
BOX SCORE
Four players had hat tricks with Villanova’s Jack Curran and Jake Froccaro and Georgetown’s Daniel Bucaro and Jake Carraway. Wildcat Christian Cuccinello had six points with two goals and four assists for a game high. Luke Palmadesso went 16-for-24 (.667) from the faceoff X and collected five ground balls. Villanova as a team had 29 ground balls and caused five turnovers. Hoya keeper Jack Stephenson had 16 saves in goal despite the loss. Villanova’s Nick Testa had nine. Villanova led by as many as nine, 11-2, toward the end of the second period, Georgetown had scored those first two goals within the first six minutes of play.
Providence 9, Marquette 7
BOX SCORE
Providence recorded their first win over Marquette in a four-game series history. The Friars closed the first quarter with a one-goal advantage over the Golden Eagles, 3-2. Marquette tied it at 3-3 to open the second quarter. The Friars scored back to back goals both assisted by Damon Currie to go head by two and never look back in a tight battle between the two teams. Providence goalkeeper Tate Boyce had eight saves in goal. Cole Blazer had four saves. Currie finished the game with three assists. Marquette’s Ryan McNamara finished with two goals and an assist.