Generals right the ship against Vikings

(Jonathan Camera scores one of his four goals Wednesday on this assist from Joel Braun).

(Michael Fuoco gives Herkimer a 3-1 lead in the first on an assist from Jeremy Mowrey).

HERKIMER, NY – Outscoring Hudson Valley in every period but the fourth on Wednesday night, the Herkimer Generals men's lacrosse team snapped a three-game losing streak to the Vikings at Wehrum Stadium, winning 19-12.

Herkimer 4-3 (1-1) put together two solid halves, giving the Vikings all they could handle. It all started in the first period when Herkimer assisted on four of their five goals. Scoring was Joel Braun (Troy, NY), Jonathan Camera (Staten Island, NY), Michael Fuoco (Kingston, NY), Tony Karam (New Hartford, NY) and Jeremy Mowrey (Johnstown, NY). It allowed the Generals to build a 5-2 lead after the first period, setting the tone with four unanswered goals within three minutes.

The Vikings answered back with two unanswered goals of their own at the end of the first and beginning of the second, but the Generals superb passing kept up, scoring three more goals in four minutes - two coming from Mowrey and Fuoco assists - adding to the Generals 8-4 lead with 9:38 left in the second period. Mowrey finished with four goals and two assists while Fuoco finished with two goals and two assists.

Kyle Lee (Cincinnati, OH) rounded out the scoring in the first half, scoring his first goal of the game with 19 seconds left in the second period to give Herkimer a 9-5 lead at intermission. Lee finished the match with three goals.

The second half started with two unanswered goals by the Generals. Karam scored his third goal of the game with 14:47 left, while Lee scored his second goal of the game with 11:04 left in the third to give Herkimer a seven goal lead 11-5.

After two goals by the Vikings, Lee and Camera combined for three goals in the final three minutes of the third period to give Herkimer a 14-7 lead. Mowrey and Braun assisted on Camera's two goals, helping the sophomore finish the match with a season-high four goals. He also added two assists.

The first six minutes of the fourth was all in favor of the Generals, seeing Braun score his second and third goals of the game, ballooning the lead to 10 with eight minutes left in regulation. Braun finished with three goals and three assist. Hudson Valley managed to score five goals in the final eight minutes, but the 10 goal lead the Generals built proved to be too much for the Vikings.

In the net for Herkimer in the first half was Mario Diaz (New Rochelle, NY). Diaz finished with five saves. His counterpart Austin Loeffel (Red Hook, NY) played in the second half. Loeffel saved eight.

The Generals next match is this Saturday (4/12). They'll host Dean College in their third consecutive home game at Wehrum Stadium. Herkimer will look to stay above .500 with play starting at 1 p.m.

-Giorgio Varlaro; Athletic Website Manager