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# Pinkerton boys lacrosse gets early lead, but can't hang on against Lincoln-Sudbury
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/pinkerton-boys-lacrosse-gets-early-lead-but-cant-hang-on-against-lincoln-sudbury/
- Published: 2019-04-11T13:44:11.000Z
- Updated: 2019-04-11T13:44:11.000Z
- Description: SUDBURY, Mass. -Fresh off its 11th state title in program history, and a dominant season-opening win over Nashua North, the Pinkerton Academy boys lacrosse team traveled to Massachusetts to play another of New England’s power programs and learned that it still has a ways to go to get back to champio
- Author: Michael Abelson
- Tags: Division I, boys lacrosse, Lincoln-Sudbury, Pinkerton, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

SUDBURY, Mass. - Fresh off its 11th NHIAA state title in program history, and a dominant season-opening win over Nashua North, the Pinkerton Academy boys lacrosse team traveled to Massachusetts to play another of New England’s power programs and learned that it still has a ways to go to get back to championship level.

The Astros had a one-goal lead after a quarter, but Lincoln-Sudbury found a way to control possession and cruise past Pinkerton 14-5.

The Astros (No. 1 in the NHHSS Coaches Poll) led 3-2 after a quarter, but adjustments by Lincoln-Sudbury couldn’t be successfully countered in the final 36 minutes, as te Warriors outshot Pinkerton 34-16.

“They have superior midfielders that can dodge hard,” Pinkerton coach Brian O’Reilly said. “They have athletes. They move the ball very well. They dominated faceoffs, which is not something we’re used to. We saw very little of the ball. They’re good in all phases.”

Six of Pinkerton’s 16 shots came in the first quarter when the Astros (1-1) were able to possess. However, it went south in the second period as Lincoln-Sudbury outscored Pinkerton 5-0 to go into halftime up 7-3.

Lincoln-Sudbury got two goals and three assists each from Matt Ward and Colby Jones. The Warriors also got a hat trick from John Herlihy.

The Warriors turned Pinkerton over 13 times and won the 50-50 battles. Lincoln-Sudbury won ground balls, 28-19, and all those added possessions paid off in a big way.

“There’s a reason we play them,” O’Reilly said. “We want to play with people like that. (Wednesday) they had us, but we’ll work at it.”

Pinkerton got a goal and an assist each from Mason Drouin and Gennaro Marra, but the true bright spot was goalie Jack Sweeney. Tasked with replacing All-American goalie Alex Sturgess, Sweeney stepped up and made nine saves before being taken out in relief in the fourth quarter.

“Jack played very well (Wednesday),” O’Reilly said. “That’s obviously one of the questions we had this year after losing our All-American. Jack’s fine.”

The loss was Pinkerton’s first since losing to Longmeadow back on May 12 of last season, a stretch of eight games. O’Reilly said that the loss will be a wakeup call for his club.

“We don’t get complacent in thinking we have everything figured out,” O’Reilly said. “We discover that there are other things that we need to learn to do. Everything we do is geared toward June. We’ll be fine.”

The Astros have a relentless upcoming schedule with games against Exeter, Bishop Guertin and Medfield, another Massachusetts power, in the next nine days.