PROVIDENCE, R.I. – For the second consecutive game, Fairfield University Men's Lacrosse used lock down defense to flip a halftime deficit into a road victory. On Saturday, the Stags allowed to just two Providence goals in the second half, and
KJ Delane put home the game-winner with 1:38 left to upend the host Friars, 8-7.
With the win, the Stags improve to 3-2. Fairfield opened with four of its first five games on the road, posting a 3-1 mark in those away contests. Providence falls to 2-3 with its second straight one-goal loss.
Delane's game-winner was his second of the day to go along with an assist.
Will Consoli paced the Fairfield offense form the midfield with two goals and three helpers.
Devin Lampron also scored twice and dished out an assist for a three-point day.
Rounding out the scoring,
Jake Gilbert posted a goal and an assist,
Justin Brown scored one goal, and the midfield duo o
Jeremiah Wade and
Rob Moore distributed one assist apiece.
Owen Hirsch anchored the defense with 10 saves – the last coming in the closing seconds with the Stags hanging on to their one goal advantage.
Five Stags had two caused turnovers, including all three starting close defensemen –
Julian Radossich,
Nate Livingston, and
Austin McClintic. LSM
Bryce Hrubiec and short-sick middie
Andrew Kasten also created a pair of Providence turnovers.
Radossich, who is the reigning CAA Defensive Player of the Week, stated his case for a repeat honor with five ground balls to go along with his two caused turnovers. Kasten picked up four grounders, and McClintic came away with three.
The Stags were edged at the faceoff X, 10-8.
Daniel Davis had five wins on the restart, and
Jonathan Lewis went 3-for-5 in relief.
Both team struck early to open the game; Consoli scored for the Stags just over two minutes in, and Providence's Jay Wilkerson responded 51 seconds later to knot the game at 1-1. That tally held into the second frame, which proved to be the game's highest scoring stanza. Wilkerson completed his hat trick with goals in the period, and Richie Joseph netted a pair for the Friars, while Brown and Delane each scored for the Stags. The capper came with only 1:02 to go in the quarter, with Lampron finishing a Consoli pass to send Fairfield into the half trailing, 5-4.
After more than five minutes of scoreless lacrosse to start the third quarter, Consoli scored again to even the game at 5-5. The Friars briefly reclaimed a 6-5 lead, then Gilbert equalized again at 6-6, which is where the tallied stood going into the fourth quarter.
The final frame began with Lampron scoring to stake Fairfield to a 7-6 lead with 13:34 to play. The advantage held for more than eight minutes before Matt Lazzaro pulled the Friars even, 7-7, with his first of the day.
Providence won the ensuing faceoff and Fairfield fought off a man-down situation with a Hirsch save and eventual shot clock violation for the Friars. Providence made its own defensive stand, but Fairfield responded with a Hrubiec forced turnover to regain possession with under three minutes to go. That trip was successful for the Stags, ending with a Consoli connection to Delane for the go-ahead goal.
In a furious final sequence, Fairfield found its on the defensive end with 14 seconds to go. Coming out of a Providence timeout, the Friars earned a final strike, which was saved by Hirsch to preserve the 8-7 victory.
Today's win was Fairfield's third one-goal game of the season; the Stags are 2-1 in those close encounters. The Stags have outscored their opponents in the second half, 14-5, in their back-to-back wins at Manhattan and Providence.
A three-game homestand is up next for the Stags, beginning with a Saturday, March 7 visit from Yale. The Bulldogs are 2-2 on the season after a 17-7 loss this afternoon at #15 Penn State.
Tickets are on sale now at
FairfieldStags.com/TIX.
