RICHMOND, Va. – In a back-and-forth game of goals and saves, host Richmond had the last marker and the last stop to hold off Fairfield University Men's Lacrosse, 10-8, on Sunday afternoon in River City. Bryce Ford had his second straight five-point day for the Stags with three goals and two assists.
 
With the loss, the Stags finish off February with a record of 2-2. Richmond, which defeated another CAA squad in Towson on Friday by a count of 10-7, improves to 3-1. The Spiders lone loss came at the hands of defending National Champion Maryland. Richmond was unranked but receiving votes for the top 20 in this week's USILA Coaches' Poll and Inside Lacrosse media poll.
 
In addition to Ford's hat trick, his fellow starting attackmen Jack McKenna and Max Paparozzi each scored twice. McKenna also dished out an assist for a three-point day. Will Consoli capped the scoring with the seventh goal of his freshman campaign.
 
In the midfield, Dylan Smith held his own against Richmond's returning All-SoCon faceoff man Jared Chenoy, finishing 9-for-21 with seven ground balls for the Stags.
 
Both goalkeepers made key saves in the contest, with Fairfield's Will Snyder making seven of his 11 stops in the second half. Richmond's all-conference stopper Jared Vigue made eight saves – five after the break – including a point-blank stop with 2:23 to go and a 9-8 lead in what proved to be the Stags' final possession of the afternoon.

In addition to Snyder's performance in the cage, Eli Adams had three caused turnovers and two ground balls from the LSM spot, and Ryan Lancaster picked up three grounders with the short stick.
 
Neither team ever led by more than two goals as the squads traded scores throughout the contest. After Richmond gained a 3-1 lead, Paparozzi and Ford scored 81 seconds apart to knot the game at 3-3 entering the second quarter, and Consoli opening that stanza's scoring to stake Fairfield to a 4-3 advantage. Richmond responded with its own three-goal run, which Paparozzi ended with his second marker of the day. The Spiders struck again just before the half to send the game into the intermission was a 7-5 lead.
 
After McKenna struck just 1:05 into the third quarter, the scoring slowed as both goalkeepers found their stride. The lone Richmond goal in the period was a Lance Madonna man-up tally to push the margin back to two, before Ford's goal as the period wound down sent the game into the fourth with Richmond clinging to an 8-7 lead.
 
Once again, McKenna struck early in the period, this time dodging and scoring to tie it up at 8-8 with 13:53 left. However, the Stags would not score against as Madonna got the go-ahead marker with 11:23 left. Fairfield's best change to equalize came with under three minutes to go, but Paparozzi was stoned on the doorstep by Vigue, and Madonna finished his hat trick with a vital insurance tally. Chenoy won the ensuing faceoff and Richmond ran out to the clock on a 10-8 win.
 
In addition to Madonna's hat trick, Luke Grayum posted two goals and two assists for the Spiders.
 
Up next, the Stags visit Providence on Saturday, March 4 for a noon faceoff with the Friars. Providence is 2-3 this season, most recently falling 19-6 yesterday at #12 Saint Joseph's.
 
Fairfield then returns to Rafferty Stadium for the only back-to-back home outings of the campaign against Bryant (March 7) and Binghamton (March 11). Tickets for both contests are on sale now at FairfieldStags.com/TIX.