FAIRFIELD, Conn. – An early 5-1 deficit stood up as the difference as Fairfield University Men's Lacrosse was clipped by host Sacred Heart, 13-9, on Wednesday evening on SHU's Campus Field.
Bryce Ford scored five goals to pace the Stags.
With the loss, Fairfield slips to 0-3 on the season. The Pioneers gain their first win of the campaign to improve to 1-3.
After Sacred Heart scored the game's first three goals,
Cam Barisano finished a feed from
Jake Gilbert to get the Stags on the board late in the first quarter. The Pioneers added another pair to start the second quarter scoring to earn a 5-1 advantage that Fairfield would chase for the remainder of the contest.
Dean Ford and
Bryce Ford each scored the halve the margin, but SHU responded in kind to reopen a four-goal lead. The Ford brothers would convert in succession again in the frame, however the Pioneers answered with the last three of the stanza to take a 10-5 lead into the locker room.
The Stags hung tough in the third quarter with
Bryce Ford netting a pair of man-up goals in the period while the defense held the Pioneers scoreless. But the 10-7 deficit entering the fourth quarter proved sufficient for Sacred Heart to stay on top, netting three in the final frame to Fairfield's two – courtesy of
Bryce Ford and
Will Consoli – to finish off the 13-9 final.
In addition to his two goals,
Dean Ford led the Stags in the midfield with four ground balls. Long-stick midfielder
Julian Radossich had two caused turnovers and scooped up two grounders.
Will Snyder made 10 saves in the Fairfield cage and stayed active around the crease with two ground balls and a caused turnover.
Sacred Heart was led by a hat trick from Morgan O'Reilly, who entered the day as one of the nation's leading goal scorers. Jake Ward and Michael Moreschi each added two goals and an assist. Luke Romanek led the Pioneers' faceoff unit at 20-for-25 with 14 ground balls, and goalkeeper Alex Pazienza made 11 saves to earn the win in the cage.
Fairfield Men's Lacrosse returns to Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium this Saturday, Feb. 24 to host Wagner at noon. Admission is free for all fans.
