DENTON:  The Varsity Lacrosse team traveled north on Thursday last week for a date with Denton.  The Cardinals and Lightning squared off at Mack Park, the Cards coming off of a tough loss to Bridge Lax at home last week.  

The home team opened up the scoring with a goal midway through the first quarter.  The Cardinals responded with a goal of their own five minutes later, as Robbie Goss found a cutting Ben Boland who painted the top left corner post to make it 1-1.  JPII took the lead in the second quarter when Goss took the feed from Jerry DeCarlo and drove his way into the crease and stuffed a high bouncing shot between the goalies outstretched legs.  Goss captured his second assist of the game a few minutes later after finding an unmarked Nolan Zaby alone in front of the net, and the freshman stuffed it home for the 3-1 lead.  Five minuted later, a laser of a shot from the Lightning closed the gap.  Not to be outdone, Goss took a pass from John Christoforetti and rifled it past the left arm of the Lightning netminder to put the Cards up by two.  Denton kept it close once again when a Lightning midfielder bulldozed his way through the Cardinals' defense and scored from close range just before the half to make it 4-3.  

Less than two minutes into the second half, Goss found the back of the net again with an assist from Cody Dean, pirouetting his way towards the goal and giving the Cardinals a 5-3 lead.  The visitors settled into their offense and poked and prodded for holes in the Lightning defense.  Alastair Duerson found a gap after splitting two defenders and hit pay dirt despite taking a high crosscheck as he let the shot fly, putting JPII ahead 6-3.  DeCarlo notched his first goal of the game late in the third quarter, crow-hopping his way towards the net and went five-hole to add the the Cards' lead.  The Lightning scored a few goals late but John Paul II held on to win 8-7 in the end.  

Goss's big night propelled the Cardinals to victory, as the senior tallied seven points (3 goals, 4 assists).  The senior has recorded at least three points in each game this season to pace the Cards.  DeCarlo finished with a pair of scores and a helper for another three point night, while Boland, Duerson, and Zaby all added a goal apiece to their season totals.  Senior goalie Ryan Doyle regained his stride against the Lightning, stopping 12 of 19 shots to help secure the win.  

The Cardinals now sit at 2-2 on the season, with their next match scheduled for Wednesday, April 14th at home when the team is set to celebrate Senior Night at 6pm prior to facing off against Hebron.