FAIRFIELD, Conn. – In a must-win game on Saturday afternoon on Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium, Fairfield University Men's Lacrosse held off Colonial Athletic Association newcomer Monmouth, 15-14, to secure the pivotal league victory. Max Paparozzi and Bryce Ford each had five points on the attack, and Davis Allen scored twice in the fourth quarter to complete his first career hat trick.
 
With the win, Fairfield improves to 4-8 overall and 2-3 in the CAA. Monmouth falls to 5-7 with a 1-4 conference mark.
 
"We know that we have to win out to put ourselves in a position to extend our season, and I was proud of the way we battled for 60 minutes today," said Head Coach Andrew Baxter. "We had some crazy moments late – myself included – but overall, we played with composure and made the plays we needed to make. We still have the season in front of us, and we controlled what we can control by earning a win today."
 
Paparozzi racked up his five points with a team-best four goals with an assist. Ford reached five with a hat trick and two helpers, extending his team-leading marks to 18 assists and 46 total points this season. Ford and Paparozzi each had a man-up goal to lead the Stags to a 2-for-3 showing with a man advantage.
 
The Stags' leader in goals is Jack McKenna, who netted three today to move his total to 29 and also dished his seventh assist of the year.
 
Allen, who returned from injury and scored a goal last week at Delaware, scored three today – Fairfield's first goal of the game and then the back-to-back fourth quarter markers that extended the lead to 15-12 with 3:23 to go.
 
At that point, Monmouth who scored with 2;48 left and again at the 54 second mark to cut the margin to 15-14. The Hawks won the ensuring faceoff and fired a clean shot for the tie, but the attempt sailed wide and Braden Lynch outhustled the Monmouth attackers to the end line to give possession back to the Stags with 42 seconds to go. Fairfield beat a tenacious Monmouth ride to gain a clear, but an illegal procedure staked the Hawks to one final possession with 12 seconds left. On the desperation trip, a deep pass toward the cage sailed out of bounds as time expired on a 15-14 Fairfield win.
 
Supplementing the Fairfield offense, Jake Gilbert and Will Consoli each scored a goal. Gilbert also dished out two assists, as did Rob Moore to cap the scoring effort.
 
Will Snyder registered a 50 percent save percentage in the cage with 14 stops, including six in the fourth quarter. Snyder also made a save on all three of Monmouth's man-up chances in the final frame, as the Stags' defense kept the Hawks to a 1-for-6 clip on extra man opportunities.

The Stags' defense was a 10-man showing on the day, as Fairfield held Monmouth 9-for-17 on clears. Ford, Snyder and Ryan Lancaster each accounted four two caused turnovers, with Lancaster and Max Paparozzi each scooping four ground balls. Faceoff man Dylan Smith also nabbed four grounders on the restart.

Attackman Ty Caffarelli scored five goals for Monmouth. Matt Soutar controlled the X for the Hawks at 22-for-33 with 11 ground balls as well as an assist.
 
Up next, the final road game of the 2023 regular season sends the Stags to Stony Brook on Saturday, April 22 for a noon faceoff with the Seawolves. Stony Brook is 6-6 overall and 3-2 in the CAA after a 12-9 loss the league-leading Delaware this afternoon.
 
Fairfield and Stony Brook have met on 10 occasions as non-conference foes, but will tangle as CAA opponents for the first time next weekend on Long Island.