Columbia, MD – Brennan Treacy (Woodbine, MD/Saint Pauls) scored a career high five goals to lead the #3 Dragons in a 16-13 win over the #6 Genesee Cougars in the NJCAA national tournament quarterfinals.
 
Treacy set the tone early on as he received a pass from Philip Peterson in the middle of the Cougars zone defense and executed a turnaround jump shot into the back of the net to give Howard the early lead. Zane Dalpe (Belle River, ON/Saint Anne) doubled the Dragons lead with a snipe less than a minute later and Treacy scored his second 30 seconds after that as he muscled his way through the Genesee defense. Dalpe scored again a minute later for his second as the Dragons made it four goals in less than three minutes to take a commanding lead.
 
Genesee finally got on the scoreboard late in the first quarter, but Howard had the immediate answer as Chase Noah (Darnestown, MD/St. Andrews Episcopal) sniped a long range shot into the top of the net with Brian Zajac (Brookeville MD/Good Counsel) scoring in the final minute of the first quarter to put the Dragons ahead 6-1 after the first quarter.
 
Dalpe scored his second early in the second quarter on a cheat code assist from Noah and Zajac added one in the final 10 seconds of the first half as Howard led 8-5 in an action packed first half.
 
Genesee made a furious comeback in the third quarter, scoring four straight to begin the second half and take their first lead of the game at 9-8. With all the momentum seemingly going towards the Cougars, Treacy was able to dodge through a couple of defenders to score and put the Dragons back even. Genesee scored again to take the lead with just 13 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
 
With their season in jeopardy, it was Treacy who continued to come up big for Howard with back-to-back goals early in the fourth quarter to get the lead. That would prove to create a lead that the Dragons would maintain for the rest of the game as Kaden Brennan (Kingsville, ON/Kingsville District) scored two goals late. Dalpe added his fourth of the game as well as Max Bruno (Ellicott City, MD/Howard) and Philip Petersen (Vail, CO/Eagle Valley) scoring in the final period as the entire Dragons offense began clicking in the final 15 minutes.
 
The Dragon defense stepped up to the task as Nik Pinto (Sykesville, MD/South Carroll) got the start alongside Connor Gladstone (Warrenton, VA/Kettle Run) and Jimmy Conner (Ashton, MD/Sherwood) with Jack Slack (Ellicott City, MD/Marriotts Ridge) adding six groundballs and two caused turnovers as a short stick defensive midfielder. The faceoff duo of Terence Harmon (Mount Pleasant, SC/Wando) and Zach Wentz combined to go 23-33 while goalkeeper Chris Peterson (Saline, MI/Saline) stopped six to add to his impressive record on the year.
 
The Dragons will move on to the final four of the national tournament in Nassau, NY where they will take on #2 CCBC Essex in the semifinals on Saturday, May 14 at 4 PM. The two bitter rivals split a pair of games earlier in the season with Howard getting the 16-8 regular season win at home before the Knights took the regional tournament semifinal win in Essex by the score of 19-13.