Box Score
Scranton, PA – The University of Scranton built a 4-1 halftime lead and held off a second half rally attempt by Marywood University to pick up a 9-6 win in non-conference men's lacrosse action on Saturday afternoon. The Royals improve to 4-2 on the season with the victory while the Pacers' record slips to 4-3.
Dillion McInerney scored the only goal of the first quarter with 3:15 to play in the opening stanza before doubling the Royals' lead 1:43 into the second quarter. Goals by Daniel Slade and Kevin Brier stretched Scranton's advantage to 4-0 with 4:02 to play in the opening half before William Roerden scored unassisted for Marywood with 2:41 remaining to make the score 4-1 heading into halftime.
The Pacers would climb back to within a single goal early in the third quarter on a pair of goals assisted by Jamie Beagen. Brian Roerden found twine with the Pacers a man-up 1:35 into the second half after taking a feed from Beagen and Marcus Janda made the score 4-3 by converting off a Beagen helper at the 8:54 mark. The two teams would trade goals the remainder of the half with Nick Parks scoring unassisted and Janda off an Anthony Tuscai assist, to account for Marywood's goals as Scranton held a 6-5 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Robert Pantages and Taylor Nelson tallied the first two goals of the final stanza for the Royals as the visitors stretched their lead to 8-5 with 1:57 to play. George Downey IV got one back for the Pacers with 1:12 to play, but Pantages iced the Scranton victory with an unassisted goal with 43 seconds to play.
Scranton, who held a 33-31 edge in shots for the game, was led by McInerney's three goals while Pantages (2 goals), Slade (2 goals), and Nelson (1 goal, 1 assist) had two points apiece in the win. Goalie Jeremy Dowiak made nine saves in to pick up the win for the Royals.
Marywood was paced by three-point efforts from Janda (2 goals, 1 assist) and Beagen (3 assists). Jesse Habich went the distance in the Pacers' cage, making six saves in the loss. Habich and Downey tied for the game-high with six groundballs apiece, as Marywood won 49 groundballs to 42 for the Royals.
The Pacers return to action next Saturday afternoon when they host against Mount Saint Mary College in the Pacers final tune-up before conference play begins. Opening face-off between the Pacers and Blue Knights is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in Scranton.
