vs Texas A&M

The Beach started off Spring semester with a home game against Texas A&M. Tyler Gealy got the first start of 2018 looking to get his third win of the season. The first period was high scoring as the Beach started off with two goals by Matt Dove, and Francis Lemay. The Aggies answered with a goal of their own, which was followed by both teams getting a goal 30 seconds apart. Tyler Galgas got a goal that was followed by an Aggies goal 28 seconds later. The Beach finished the first with a 3-2 lead.  The Aggies refused to go away with a goal at 8:58 in the 2nd. But the Beach kept the pressure on and answered back 13 seconds later with a goal by Tanner Bleyle. The Beach continued to control play and Dove added his second of the game to give the beach a 5-3 lead going into the final period. Texas started out the third with energy scoring only 1:57 closing the gap to one. But the Beach was not going to let them back into the game following it up with four unanswered goals, Luke Miller had two goals and Bleyle added two giving the Beach the win and completing his hat-trick. The Aggies would add a late goal but the game was already too far out of hand. Gealy got the win in net stopping 27 of 32 shots. 

vs USC

The Beach looked to avenge a USC sweep from the 2016-2017 season with a sweep of their own. Adam Moroz got his first start in net for 2018 after a strong Fall semester. Despite having a down year USC proved early that they would not be put away easily. Francis Lemay started the scoring 8:13 into the first, USC would answer with a goal of their own. But the Beach bounced back quick and Lemay would add his second of the period at 16:57. The Beach would end the first with a 2-1 lead. Things tightened up in the second with both teams excelling defensively ending in a scoreless second period. USC would tie the game at 2 early in the third. The Beach took the lead again with a goal by Blake Rivera at 9:52. The Beach continued to control play but USC battled defensively and was able to fight off the Beach and tied the game with only a few minutes remaining, sending the game into overtime. The Beach would start OT on a five on three penalty Kill, Adam Moroz and the Beach PK team would fight off the USC PP and send the game into a shootout. Moroz turned away the first USC shooter, Luke Miller would shoot first for the Beach and would not disappoint, scoring on an amazing one-handed deke. Luke’s goal would prove to be the winner as Moroz would stop the next two USC shooters. Moroz stopped 35 of 32 shots earning his first career shootout win. The Beach outshot USC, 53 to 35 but a strong game from USC goaltender Jeremy Blaustein kept the game tight. This win would give the Beach a three-game win streak going back to Fall semester.

@ USC

The Beach looked to continue their winning ways the next night with an away game at USC. Adam Moroz would get the start again in net after a strong performance Thursday night. Matt Hoeksema started off the scoring early, giving the Beach a 1-0 lead after the first. USC would answer in the second tying the game. The Beach would come back with two of their own form Luke Miller, and Francis Lemay, giving the Beach a 3-1 lead heading into the third.  The Beach would extend their lead with back to back goals by Ryan Schlerf and Hoeksema. The Beach would get into penalty trouble late and USC would bounce back and get two of their own closing the lead back to two. The Beach would fight off the USC push killing off another late penalty, Hoeksema would add an empty netter that would complete the hat-trick. Adam Moroz turned away 27 or USC’s 30 shots, giving the Beach their fourth win in a row and putting their record at 9-8-0

PC: Joseph Kling Photography