Box Score Richmond, Va. – Scott Primeau scored with 1:40 remaining to cut the Richmond lead to one, but the Paladins couldn't complete the comeback, falling to the Spiders, 8-7, in the first semifinal matchup of the SoCon Tournament. The win moves Richmond into Saturday's championship game, while the loss ends Furman's season at 4-9, 3-3 in SoCon play.
Furman was led by Robbie Betchley III with three goals, while Scott Primeau, Matt Geran, Patrick DiMento and Patrick Reilly each added one. Jonah Moore added two assists for the Paladins, while Jon Vandenberg picked up a team-high four ground balls. Reilly McDermott allowed just eight goals against the SoCon's top scoring offense, while registering a career-high 17 saves.
Richmond wasted no time getting on the board, winning the opening face-off and netting a goal just 18 seconds in to the game. After Patrick Reilly picked up a ground ball off a Richmond miss, Jonah Moore passed to Robbie Betchley III who netted his 12th goal of the season to tie the game at one with 12:37 remaining in the first. Both teams stepped up the defense after that, however, holding one another without a goal for the remainder of the first.
After a penalty, Richmond scored on a man-up opportunity to give the Spiders a 2-1 lead with 11:13 remaining in the second. Betchley then scored his second goal of the game, this time unassisted, to tie the game at two with 10:32 remaining in the second, before Richmond responded with a goal to retake the lead at 3-2 with just under 10 minutes to go until halftime. The teams again picked up the defense, not allowing a goal until Richmond stretched the lead to 4-2 with 36 seconds left in the half, then to 5-2 heading into halftime.
Richmond opened up a 6-2 lead with 11:51 remaining in the third. Hil Blaze won the ensuing face-off and Betchley netted his third goal of the day to cut the lead to 6-3 with 11:41 remaining. The game's physicality picked up in the remainder of the third, with both teams keeping one another off the board, until, with 22 seconds left in the third, Matt Geran took a pass from Clay Adams to cut the lead to 6-4.
The Spiders again scored the first goal of a period, this time with 12:31 remaining in the fourth to push the lead back to three at 7-4, then using a goal by J.P. Forester to push the lead back to four at 8-4 with 11:43 remaining. Furman then used back-to-back goals of its own, one by Patrick DiMento and one by Patrick Reilly, to cut the lead to 8-6 with 6:40 remaining. The teams traded shots back and forth, until Scott Primeau scored with 1:40 remaining to cut the lead to one at 8-7. Furman had another good look at a shot to tie it, but Richmond's Benny Pugh made a key save to deny the Paladins and allow the Spiders to hang on for the 8-7 win.
