11/29/21

SCRANTON, Pa. -- The Lackawanna College Esports Rocket League team opened up their NJCAAE Playoffs with a 3-1 victory over Saint Clair County Community College on Monday night.

The first game got off to a good start for Lackawanna College, who took the early lead at the 4:13 mark when Caden Delaney (Gamertag: Bozi) pounced on a banked pass from Keenan Lewis (Gamertag: Fesbot) to make it 1-0 Falcons. A Juan Garcia (Gamertag: Jaepster) shot from deep was saved off the line with just under four minutes to go, and the Skippers hit the counter and scored a goal to knot it at 1-apiece at the 3:50 mark of the period. Lackawanna College peppered the Saint Clair goal, but the Skippers continuously withstood the pressure and made save after save. They'd be rewarded for their defense when the Falcons lost the ball in their defensive zone, giving Saint Clair a clean shot on goal to make it 2-1 with 1:24 to go in the first. The Skippers would see the game out from there, earning the victory and a 1-0 lead in the match. The Skippers had eight saves in the period, while Lackawanna outshot them 9-to-6. 

Game two started with a bang for Lackawanna College, when Delaney pounced on a loose ball, after a pair of demos detonated the Skippers' defense, allowing Delaney to score just 13 seconds into the period. Delaney would double the lead with a nice individual run from the left side to make it 2-0 at the 3:44 mark of the second. A Falcon turnover would turn into a Skippers goal at the 2:44 mark, halving the Falcons lead to just 2-1. The rest of the game was highlighted by high pressure from the Falcons, who outshot Saint Clair 8-to-2 in the period. 

The Falcons would score another early goal in game three, as Delaney once again got the scoring started with a goal off a mistake from the Saint Clair defense, making it 1-0 Lacakwanna College just 21 seconds into the third period. A period of saves and missed opportunities would follow, but the Falcons would be the ones who would find a breakthrough, when a Skipper shot went wide right and bounced out to midfield, allowing Lewis to seize the opportunity and blast a long range shot on net to make it 2-0 Falcons with 1:50 to play in the third. That would be enough, as the Falcons saw out the period, winning 2-0 and taking a 2-1 lead in the match. Lackawanna took the third game despite being outshot 11-to-3, and made eight saves to help the cause. 

The fourth game started like the others, with the Falcons finding a goal inside the first minute, this time after Delaney made a goalline save drove down the field, and popped up a pass to Lewis, who knocked it through and gave Lackawanna College a 1-0 lead just 30 seconds into the game. The lead would grow to 2-0 win Delaney grabbed a rebound off a Garcia shot, slotting it home at the 3:31 mark. Saint Clair even it up in 43 seconds of game-time, getting a pair of goals off Lackawanna College mistakes to it 2-2 with 2:48 to go in the fourth game. Delaney would get the Falcons the lead back with a nice spike off the ground that skittered into the corner, making it 3-2 Falcons with 2:29 to play. Delaney would get the dagger shot at 1:33 to play, when, after what looked to be a turnover off a deflected pass, he circled around, got the ball back, and launched a shot from deep that found the net to make it 4-2. That would be enough, as the Falcons took the game 4-2, and the match at 3-1. 

Caden Delaney led the Falcons with seven goals, while Keenan Lewis had a pair of goals for Lackawanna College.
 
The Falcons advance to the next round of the NJCAAE Rocket League playoffs which will be played and streamed this Thursday, December 2nd at 7:00pm ET. Be sure to tune into our Facebook and Twitter to find out who our next playoff opponent will be!