RUPPRECHT'S HAT-TRICK WASTED AGAINST WVU

Sunday, October 25, 2015

LESS THAN 24 HOURS AFTER A HARD FOUGHT BATTLE WITH THE PENN STATE D2 TEAM, PSUA BOARDED A BUS FOR A ROAD TRIP TO MORGANTOWN WEST VIRGINIA, TO DO BATTLE WITH THE MOUNTAINEERS ACHA TEAM.  THE LIONS WOULD STRIKE FIFTY EIGHT SECONDS INTO THE GAME AS FRESHMAN MITCH RUPPRECHT RIFLED A SHOT PAST GOALTENDER CONNOR GLASS, ON A PASS FROM NICO GRICCO.  RUPPRECHT WOULD TALLY HIS SECOND OF THE GAME AT THE 9:30 MARK AGAIN FROM GRICCO.  THEN WVU, ON SOME VERY QUESTIONABLE CALLS , SCORED THE NEXT THREE GOALS.  SCORE AT THE END OF THE FIRST 3-2 WVU.  AT THE 11:58 MARK OF THE SECOND PERIOD, RUPPRECHT WOULD COMPLETE THE HAT-TRICK, AS THE LIONS WOULD TIE THE GAME ON THE POWER PLAY (ASSISTED BY GRICCO AND DOLAN.)  THE GAME WOULD REMAIN SCORELESS AS BOTH GOALTEDERS CAME UP WITH HUGE SAVES.  THEN AT THE 6:45 MARK WVU BROKE THE TIE PUTTING ONE BEHIND GOALIE RYAN CORNELIUS.  THEN WITH GOALIE PULLED, WVU WOULD SCORE AN EMPTY NETTER.  FINAL SCORE 5-3.  COACH LANTZ SUMMARIZED THE GAME AS SUCH.  "  I AM NOT ONE TO BLAME THE REFS, BECAUSE USUALLY THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO WIN THROUGHOUT AN ENTIRE GAME.  BUT IT IS A CRIME THAT THE REFS HANDED THIS GAME TO WVU.  THEY SHOULD FEEL VERY LUCKY THEY STOLE THIS GAME.  I HAVE SEEN SOME VERY BAD GAMES, BUT THIS WAS A JOKE.  WE WILL GET ANOTHER CHANCE AT WVU IN JANUARY.  THE BOYS FOUGHT HARD THIS WEEKEND AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SPLIT."  CORNELIUS WOULD MAKE SOME AMAZING SAVES THROUGHOUT THE GAME STOPPING 34 OF 38.  THE LIONS GET BACK INTO THEIR LEAGUE SCHEDULE WITH THREE GAMES NEXT WEEKEND AGAINST PITT-GREENSBURG, CARNEGIE MELLON, AND GANNON UNIVERSITY.