Early hat trick for Jones leads to Salve Regina victory over Nichols, 13-6

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. - Salve Regina University junior attack Sharp Jones (Scituate, Mass.) netted a hat trick in a three-minute span of the first period before finishing with a four-goal performance in his team's 13-6 victory over visiting Nichols College in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) men's lacrosse action at Gaudet Field.

Jones scored his first of the game, and seventh of the season, at 12:03 mark of the first and, after a flag was dropped on the play, Salve Regina earned a free possession immediately which led to Jones' second goal less than a minute later.

Salve Regina (3-3, 2-1 CCC) continued to maintain possession after the next face-off and Jones converted a no-look pass from freshman Andrew Fera (Cranston, R.I.) to register his 16th career hat trick, first of the season. Last year, Jones recorded a school-record 15 hat tricks including one in an 18-12 victory over the Bison in Dudley, Mass.; it came during an eight-game streak of hat tricks by the then sophomore.

The Seahawks carried the 3-0 advantage into the second period. Fera, coming off his second career hat trick in a 12-9 win at Gordon College on Wednesday, bumped the lead to 4-0 with his eighth goal of the season, assisted by sophomore Nick LoCicero (Lynbrook, N.Y.).

Later in the second quarter, sophomore Jacob Scammon (Freeport, Maine) and junior Brian Gioscio (Franklin, Mass.) both scored their first goals of the season, unassisted, to give the Seahawks a 6-0 lead at halftime. Starting goalkeeper freshman Matt D'Amore (Duxbury, Mass.) had six saves in the first 30 minutes while blanking the Bison.

Nichols (4-4, 0-2 CCC) opened the second half with its first two goals. Sophomore Tyler Sikich (Hermosa Beach, Calif.) casually circled around the right side and beat D'Amore with a low, hard shot at 14:12 of the third quarter. Less than a minute later, junior Anthony Verville (Portland, Maine) carried the ball behind the net from the right side and came around on the left to throw it in over D'Amore's shoulder, cutting the Seahawk lead to 6-2.

LoCicero started a run of four straight Seahawk goals with his unassisted tally at 12:01, his eighth goal of the season. Zach Makoske (Shoreham, N.Y.) scored his first career goal with an assist from sophomore Eric Backus (Mansfield, Mass.). Backus joined Jones and LoCicero with a four-point (two goals, two assists) effort on the afternoon in a rainy/snowy mix with strong winds making the temperature feel like 27 degrees.

After Mike Sheehan's (Wading River, N.Y.) long-distance goal was waved off, senior Alexander Gomes (Raynham, Mass.) scored his first of the season, and fourth of his four-year career, unassisted at 4:29 of the third period for the largest lead of the game, 10-2.

The Bison outscored the Seahawks, 4-3, the remainder of the game including three from freshman MacKenzie Martin (Merrimack, N.H.).

Sophomore Andrew Watkins (Natick, Mass.) relieved D'Amore in net after the Bison's third goal of the game with 44 seconds left in the third quarter. Watkins registered three saves while facing six shots. James Keane (Franklin, Mass.) totalled 11 saves for Nichols College which hosts Curry College on Tuesday evening.

Salve Regina has a pair of home contests in the upcoming week, first against Roger Williams in a CCC battle Tuesday (7:30 p.m.) and then Thursday against former CCC member Anna Maria (5 p.m.).