Dave Geringer, Sports Information Director		(508) 990-9651  	[log in to unmask]
For Immediate Release: Friday, November 10, 2006					

UMASS DARTMOUTH DOWNS LEBANON VALLEY IN SEASON OPENER, 4-2

NEW BEDFORD, MA–Two of the leading scorers for the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s hockey picked up where they left off last season when the Corsairs opened their 2006-2007 season against Lebanon Valley at the Stephen Hetland Memorial Ice Arena Friday evening.

Junior forward Jeff Grant (Burlington, MA/Austin Prep), last year’s third-leading scorer, scored twice, and last year’s leading scorer, junior forward Kyle McCullough (Danvers, MA/Boston Jr. Blackhawks), added a pair of assists and an empty net goal to lead UMass Dartmouth to a 4-2 victory against the Flying Dutchmen.

Grant scored the game-winning goal when he flipped the rebound of McCullough’s shot past LVC goalie Aaron Miller 38 seconds into the third period. McCullough added an empty net goal with 21 seconds on the clock, firing home a low shot from the Lebanon Valley blue line. Senior forward Jim Foley (Brockton, MA/Catholic Memorial HS) and senior defenseman Paul Carr (Springfield, MA/Springfield Cathedral HS) drew assists.

The Flying Dutchmen drew first blood, taking a 1-0 lead when Andy Orsini fired the rebound of Pat Skehan’s shot past sophomore goalie Jeff Green (Medway, MA/Medway HS) with just 32 seconds remaining in the first period. Grant tied the game with a shorthanded goal at the 4:50 mark of the second period, taking McCullough’s pass and rifling a high shot past Miller from a sharp angle.

LVC made it 2-1 when Rocky Romanella scored at 12:41 of the second period. Senior forward Ray Kirby (Fairhaven, MA/York Stars/Salem State) tied it with his first goal of the season, taking a pass from junior forward Tyler Vrolyk (Boylston, MA/New England Jr. Falcons) and beating Miller on a breakaway at the 14:36 mark. Junior defenseman Mike McNulty (Hingham, MA/Winchendon Academy) also assisted.

 “In the third period, we came out and started doing what we needed to do in order to win,” said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach John Rolli. “We started grinding it out, we went back to working hard and we stopped over handling the puck. That was the style that we needed to be playing.”

UMD out shot the Flying Dutchmen, 31-23. Miller made 27 saves, while Green made 21.

The Corsairs improved their overall record to 1-0-0 with the victory, while Lebanon Valley fell to 0-4-0 with the defeat. UMass Dartmouth will return to action when they host Becker Saturday. LVC will conclude their two-game road trip with a trip to Western New England Saturday afternoon.

UMASS DARTMOUTH HOCKEY

 Lebanon Valley (0-4-0) vs. UMass Dartmouth (1-0-0)
 Date: Nov 10, 2006  Location: New Bedford, MA       Arena: Hetland Ice Arena
 Attendance:571   Start time:7:30 pm   End time:9:35 pm   Total time:2:05

 Goals by Period       1  2  3  Tot
 ----------------------------------
 Lebanon Valley......  1  1  0 -  2
 UMass Dartmouth.....  0  2  2 -  4

   1st period - 1, LVCM, Andy Orsini/4 (Pat Skehan/1) 19:28. Penalties
- Ryan Horgan, LVCM (tripping) 2:03; Anthony Scales, LVCM (hitting
from behind) 4:41; Chris Shore, UMDM (interference) 7:25; Ryan
Tiburtini, LVCM (tripping) 10:07; Matt Serino, UMDM (interference)
13:15; Eric Quinlan, UMDM (tripping) 15:11.

   2nd period - 2, UMDM, Jeff Grant/1 (Kyle McCullough/1) 4:50 (sh).
3, LVCM, Rocky Romanella/1 (Matt Rowe/2, Jarred Frey/1) 12:41. 4,
UMDM, Ray Kirby/1 (Tyler Vrolyk/1, Mike McNulty/1) 14:36. Penalties -
Billy Carroll, UMDM (tripping) 4:39; Billy Carroll, UMDM (tripping)
6:45; Eli Facchinei, LVCM (tripping) 9:40; Pete Rossi, LVCM (roughing)
14:11; Kyle McCullough, UMDM (roughing) 14:11.

   3rd period - 5, UMDM, Jeff Grant/2 (Kyle McCullough/2) :38. 6,
UMDM, Kyle McCullough/1 (Jim Foley/1, Paul Carr/1) 19:39 (empty net).
Penalties - Pat Skehan, LVCM (hitting from behind) 4:55; Nick Paquin,
UMDM (elbowing) 14:47.

   Shots on goal - LVCM 11-6-6 23; UMDM 8-16-7 31.

   Power plays - LVCM 0 of 6; UMDM 0 of 5.

   Penalties - LVCM 6 (12 min); UMDM 7 (14 min).

   Goalies - LVCM, Aaron Miller 0-4-0 (59:16 minutes, 30 shots-27
saves) , EMPTY NET (00:44, 1-0); UMDM, Jeff Green 1-0-0 (60:00,
23-21).

   A-571  T-2:05
 Three stars: 1. Jeff Grant    2. Kyle McCullough    3. Andy Orsini
 Referee: Robert Tobin  Asst. Referee: Jonathan White. Linesman- Dan Salzillo
 Win-Jeff Green (1-0-0).  Loss-Aaron Miller (0-4-0).