(box score)
Widener put on the defensive clamps in the middle two quarters and secured the top seed in the Middle Atlantic Conference Tournament with a 12-6 victory over DeSales at Leslie C. Quick Jr. Stadium.
Widener (12-2, 10-0 MAC) outscored DeSales 7-1 over the second and third quarters by recording a 27-5 shots edge and winning 7-of-10 face-offs. Sophomore Johnny Casey (Glenside, PA) and senior Shawn DeHaven (Lyndell, PA) each scored twice in that span.
That was part of a stretch in which the Pride netted nine straight goals to open a 12-4 lead. DeSales (3-11, 3-7) was held without a goal for 43 minutes, 11 seconds before two innocuous tallies in the final 29 seconds.
Junior Michael Bassani (Califon, NJ) also scored twice with Casey and junior Whitney Bruemmer (Southampton, PA) dishing two assists for the Pride. Freshman Mac Nestler (Chatham, NJ) made four saves over 30 minutes.
Tony Fabrizio scored three goals and Justin Campanelli stopped 12 shots for the Bulldogs.
Widener's 10th straight victory is its longest winning streak since the same run in 2006 and one short of the school record set in 2002. The regular-season MAC crown is the Pride's first since 2006 and the 12 victories are one shy of a team best accomplished four times.
Widener closes the regular season Saturday at Alvernia, beginning at 1:00 pm in Reading, PA.
