Box Score
The Fairfield University men's lacrosse team dropped a 14-7 decision to #3 Loyola University Maryland in the ECAC Lacrosse League Championship Game at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. The Stags are now 12-4 on the year and will await a possible at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The selection show, which announces the 16-team field, airs on ESPN Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.
The first quarter was a back and forth affair, with Scott Ratliff netting a pass from Justin Ward 3:00 into the contest to give the Greyhounds a 1-0 lead. John Snellman, who was named to the All-Tournament Team for the second consecutive year, evened the score 97 seconds later with his 32nd tally of the year. J.P. Dalton put Loyola ahead 2-1 eight seconds later, scoring off of a face-off win. That lead lasted nearly until the end of the quarter, when Eric Warden drew the Stags even at the 3:53 mark.
The Greyhounds again struck off of the face-off, taking the lead nine seconds later on Mike Sawyer's first of three on the afternoon and moved ahead 4-2 at the 2:20 mark on a Justin Ward tally. Sam Snow got Fairfield back within a goal in the waning seconds of the first-quarter, putting in a Colin McLinden score with 27 ticks remaining. It seemed as if the quarter would end there, but a desperation heave by Loyola's Reid Acton found the back of the net from 80-yard, with a second remaining, for a 5-3 edge.
Loyola scored the first two goals of the second quarter, to push the lead to 7-3 with 7:44 to play in the half. Brent Adams fed Snellman with 1:58 to play in the half to snap the Loyola run and second the game to halftime with the Stags trailing 7-4.
Fairfield did not score a goal in the third quarter of the game, as the Greyhounds netted four tallies, and the first of the fourth quarter, to expand its lead to 12-4. Dylan McGoldrick scored his first collegiate goal 2:36 inot the fourth, on a Max Buchanan pass, to end the Greyhounds run. Nikko Pontrello scored at the 7:04 mark for the Greyhounds to put the lead back to eight, 13-5. Alex Cramer (3:26) scored an unassisted goal and Adams netted a man-up goal at the 2:47 mark to get the score to 13-7. Brian Schultz wrapped up the scoring with 48 seconds to play, with Jack Murphy out of the cage,
Charlie Cipriano, who also earned his second All-Tournament Team selection, stopped 12 shots in his 57:13 of action. He allowed 13 goals and picked up one ground ball. Jack Murphy played the final 2:47, allowing one goal. Brendan McTague was named to the All-Tournament Team after a two-ground ball and one-caused turnover effort in the title game.
Jack Runkel made five saves, allowing seven goals, in playing 58:40 in net for Loyola. Michael Bonitaibus stopped two shots in his 80 seconds in goal. Ward finished with a game-high five points, while tournament MVP Scott Ratliff had seven ground balls, a goal and an assist. Joe Fletcher caused a game-high five turnovers.
Loyola out shot Fairfield 43-39 and had a 33-23 advantage in ground balls. The Greyhounds caused nine of the Stags 18 turnovers, while committing just eight turnovers of their own.
