true Gwynedd-Mercy 9, Albright 8 OT

BOX SCORE

GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. – Senior Craig Trueblood (Smithsburg, Md./Smithsburg) scored with 39 seconds remaining in overtime lifting Gwynedd-Mercy to a thrilling 9-8 win over Albright on Saturday.

Trueblood, along with Nicholas Coan (Glen Mills, Pa./Garnet Valley) and Nathan Pendleton (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) each netted two goals as Gwynedd won their fourth game in seven tries in team history.

Trueblood's second of the game came after the Griffins (3-3) took the first possession in the extra session but turned the ball over to the Lions. After a shot attempt that was wide, senior Zachary Richter (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown) made a key defensive play, intercepting a pass to start the transition back on offense. The Griffins capitalized as Trueblood beat Albright goalie Andrew Torak in the top part of the cage.

Bryan Smith scored a game-high four goals for Albright (6-1), who suffered their first loss of the season. Three of those goals game in a row late in the fourth quarter, the last coming with 24 seconds in regulation. Teammate T.J. Holston added two scores.

The teams were tied after the first (2-2) and at the half (3-3). After trading goals, Trueblood and Coan scored just over two minutes apart before Holston made it a 6-5 contest going into the final quarter.

GM took advantage on one of five Albright penalties in the fourth as freshman Nico Belardo (Columbus, N.J./Northern Burlington) scored a man-up goal and Coan added his second early in the quarter to stake GM to a three-goal lead.

Junior Ryley O'Keefe (Coatesville, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) made 13 saves in goal. Torak recorded 12 for Albright.

Junior Dustan Mangin (Perkasie, Pa./Archbishop Wood) and Roy Bakeoven (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) also added goals for Gwynedd.

The Griffins return to action on Tuesday, when they play at DeSales starting at 4 p.m.