Orban's OT Goal Gives Staples Boys Lacrosse Dramatic Win

It would be hard to imagine the Staples boys'  lacrosse team finding a more dramatic way to win its season opener.

Kip Orban scored his fifth goal of the game 48 seconds into overtime, lifting the Wreckers to an 11-10 victory over  Ridgefield in Westport on Thursday.

Even though Ridgefield lost eight of 10 starters, including four all-Americans, it still was a big win for Staples over one of the state's powerhouse programs. Last year, the Tigers finished 20-2, losing only to Lawrenceville, a prep school
in New Jersey, and Fairfield Prep in the semifinals of the Class L state tournament.

"(Ridgefield) is definitely a great team," Orban said. "I think last year we put Staples on the map and this year we're  definitely coming out to elevate our status to push on to the (FCIAC) finals. I think that was a good start to the
season, a good win for us to get momentum."

The win came after Ridgefield staged a furious rally by scoring five straight goals in the final 5 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter to erase a 10-5 lead.

But Staples won the opening faceoff to start overtime, and Orban set up with the ball behind the Ridgefield net. He circled in front and slammed home the game-winner.

"The kid Orban is a great kid," Ridgefield coach Roy Colsey said. "I'm happy for him. He got the game-winner. If you got to lose, he's the kid you want to get that goal. He's a real classy kid." 

It was extra special for the junior because three of Ridgefield's players were Orban's teammates on his summer league team when he was younger.

"We have a friendly rivalry, but we're really close friends," Orban said. "I loved playing against the guys, they're great guys. It was fun to finally see them in the regular season again."

Kyle Mendelson and Charlie Ross each scored a pair for the Wreckers, who are trying to build on last season's 10-8 finish. They would like to get their program on the same level as Ridgefield's.

"We want to be a strong program," Staples coach Paul McNulty said. "Ridgefield is the defending (FCIAC) champs.  Let's see if we're going to do something. Let's start showing it in the first game against Ridgefield."

Staples showed a lot, and appeared to be in control when Orban scored his fourth goal with 5:22 remaining to give the Wreckers their five-goal cushion.

But Aidan Scott, who scored five goals for Ridgefield,   banged home two in a 20-second span to pull the Tigers within 10-7 with still 4:48 remaining.

Ridgefield crept closer on a goal by Jack Philibin with 2:56 remaining before the Tigers' Aaron Mathias made it a one-goal contest with 69 seconds to play.

Ridgefield received a power play with 35 seconds to go and the Tigers took advantage, as Scott registered his last goal with just eight ticks left to force overtime. He scored four goals in the final period.

"It's kind of draining (to squander the lead)," Orban said. "We're trying to keep the morale up on the sidelines, but I think our team did a good job, stayed focused. We regrouped. We came out strong (in the overtime)."

Despite the graduation losses, Ridgefield has the same expectations as last year. But until their fourth-quarter eruption, the Tigers looked like a team missing some key pieces.

"There's no moral victories, there's no such thing," Colsey said. "We didn't play our full game. But that's all right,  (it's the) first game. We lost eight of 10 starters from last year. You don't just come out and play the way you did. We need guys to step up. It's gonna happen. I'm not worried at all. It's fine. It's early, man."

In the first half, Staples' strategy was to slow down the game by having long possessions to limit Ridgefield's touches. The approach worked, as the Wreckers led 4-1  at halftime and 7-3 after the third quarter.
 
"They have very fast athletes who know to play the game , so running up and down the field was not going to be to our advantage," McNulty said.  "They had a lot of determination and a lot of guts, and they got all those goals in the
fourth quarter."