Box Score
The Fairfield University men's lacrosse team dropped its second consecutive ECAC Lacrosse League game, falling 13-7 to host #5/6 Loyola University Maryland on Saturday afternoon. The Stags fall to 6-5 on the year and 2-2 in league play, while the Greyhounds improve to 9-2 on the season and 5-0 in ECAC action.
Marshall Johnson, who had a season-best seven ground balls, gave the Stags an early 1-0 lead, scoring unassisted 4:28 into the contest. The Greyhounds responded with a man-up goal from Kevin Ryan at the 8:44 mark and then won the ensuing face-off, which led to a Scott Ratliff goal nine ticks later. The Greyhounds would score five consecutive goals, the last two from Justin Ward, to take a 5-1 lead with 2:12 to play in the first quarter. Drew Federico notched his fourth tally of the season with 40 seconds to play in the quarter to end the run, but again Ratliff answered quickly, putting home a pass from Nikko Pontrello 17 seconds later for a 6-2 lead.
Sean O'Sullivan struck first in the second quarter, 2:51 into the period, with an unassisted goal to push the lead to five, 7-2. Eric Warden scored next for Fairfield at 9:40, but again Ratliff answered, this time 28 ticks later to keep the margin at five, 8-3. Sam Snow got on the board with 3:46 to play before intermission to get Fairfield within four, however Josh Hawkins scored with 56 seconds to play to send the game to break with the Greyhounds leading 9-4.
Jordan Greenfield scored his 23rd of the year, a man-up goal, 1:22 into the second-half to make the deficit four once again, 9-5. The Greyhounds scored consecutive goals to answer, as Ratliff (12:44) scored his fourth and Mike Sawyer (10:53) gave Loyola an 11-5 lead. Warden touched net for the second time at the 10:18 mark, to make it 11-6, before Loyola ended the third quarter with goals from Sawyer (1:29) and Hawkins (:18). Tristan Sperry scored the lone goal of the fourth quarter for the Stags, unassisted, with 1:56 to play.
Jack Murphy played the entire game in goal for the Stags, making nine saves and picking up two ground balls, something he has done in every start he has made at the Division I level. Jack Runkel stopped seven shots in earning the win in net for Loyola.
Michael Roe went 15-22 at the face-off X on the day, with nine ground balls, as the Stags finished 17-24 at the face-off X, with Louis DiGiacomo going 2-2. Fairfield had two caused turnovers, Dan Niebler and Toby Armour, as Loyola committed just eight miscues. The Stags had only 13 turnovers in the game, 10 of which were caused, and had a 34-20 advantage in ground balls.
The Stags return home next Saturday to host ECAC foe Air Force on Lessing Field. The game, which follows the women's game versus Canisius, will also be preceded by a Senior Day ceremony.
