Mustangs

The ends were just as important as the starts for the Stevenson men's lacrosse team in its 13-7 victory over No. 13 Lynchburg in Wednesday night's NCAA tournament quarterfinal at Mustang Stadium in Owings Mills. No. 4 Stevenson's fourth appearance in the last five national semifinals was aided by the offense's ability to score goals in the final minutes of the first and second quarters. Sophomore attackman Mark Pannenton converted a bounce pass from junior attackman Chris Dashiell with 1.1 seconds left in the first period and then scored with 38.3 and 19.7 seconds remaining in the second frame.

Although this is the first time these programs will meet in the NCAA tournament, they have met nine times in the regular season since 2006. Stevenson has won five of those contests. Lynchburg (14-5) - ranked 13th in the most recent United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association poll - is 0-1 in the quarterfinal round, losing to Roanoke, 10-9, in 2005. Senior Vin Curran has won 55.8 percent (129-of-231) of his faceoffs and ranks third on the team in goals with 29. No. 4 Stevenson (19-2)

When the Stevenson men's lacrosse team last tangled with Lynchburg, the two sides went to overtime before the Mustangs escaped with a win. Stevenson made sure that scenario was not repeated. Sophomore attackman Mark Pannenton scored all three of his goals in the first half and senior midfielder Peter Green chipped in two goals and two assists to lift the No. 4 Mustangs to a 13-7 victory over the No. 13 Hornets in a NCAA tournament quarterfinal Wednesday night. An announced 1,276 at Mustang Stadium in Owings Mills — the second-largest crowd to watch a lacrosse game at Stevenson — watched the Mustangs earn their fourth trip to a national semifinal in the last five seasons where they will meet No. 12 Salisbury at 7 p.m. on Sunday in Owings Mills.

Senior defenseman Parker Bratton is fully expected to make his customary start when No. 4 Stevenson welcomes No. 13 Lynchburg to Mustang Stadium in Owings Mills for Wednesday night's NCAA tournament quarterfinal. Whether the Baltimore native and McDonogh graduate plays the entire 60 minutes is a different matter. Bratton, who is tied for fourth on the team in caused turnovers with 17 and ranks seventh in ground balls with 47, has been bothered by a turned ankle suffered about two weeks ago. Coach Paul Cantabene said he is not too worried about Bratton, who has missed two games this season.

For five minutes, 17 seconds, it would not have been difficult to assume that Dimitri Pecunes felt as if he had let down his Stevenson teammates. The freshman goalkeeper had surrendered five goals in the first quarter of the No. 4 Mustangs' home contest against No. 11 Washington College at Mustang Stadium in Owings Mills Saturday night and was promptly pulled for sophomore Kevin Cain at the start of the second period. But that was not the approach the Baltimore native and Calvert Hall graduate had taken as he stood on the sideline.

The Stevenson men's lacrosse team did not enjoy its first lead of Saturday night's NCAA tournament second-round contest against Washington College until 54 minutes had elapsed. But that was all the Mustangs would need. Senior midfielder Nick Rossi's blast from the left point with 5:42 gave Stevenson a 14-13 lead, and two goals from sophomore attackman Mark Pannenton and one from sophomore midfielder Billy Burgoyne gave the No. 4 Mustangs some extra breathing room en route to a 17-13 win against the No. 11 Shoremen before an announced 740 at Mustang Stadium in Owings Mills.

Stevenson's 18-2 record and No. 4 ranking in the latest United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association poll has been aided by Division III's sixth-ranked offense and 14th-ranked defense. But another pillar of the program's success this season has been ground balls. The Mustangs entered the week ranked second in the nation in ground balls per game (47.4), and that number will improve after the team collected 70 loose balls in an 18-6 pummeling of Christopher Newport in the first round of the NCAA tournament Wednesday night.

When the NCAA tournament was unveiled late Sunday night, Dickinson - one of just two teams left in Division III with undefeated records - was the only team in the South region with a first-round bye. Roanoke got the next seed, and Stevenson was third, falling in line with the most recent regional rankings . It was what Mustangs coach Paul Cantebene anticipated. “It's a fair bracket,” he said Monday morning. “We're going to see good teams no matter what. So from what we did this season, we're in a very fair place.” Stevenson (17-2)