51³Ô¹ÏÍø

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?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = 'urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags' />HAMILTON, N.Y. – The 51³Ô¹ÏÍø men’s lacrosse team defeated Patriot League foe Holy Cross 12-7 at Tyler’s Field on Saturday.  Senior co-captain Jeff Vander Meulen (Liverpool, N.Y.) led the Raiders with five goals and an assist in the win.

Junior midfielder Matt Saxon (Bethesda, Md.) put the Raiders on the board with an unassisted goal four minutes into the action.  Eddie Brennan (Hillsborough, Calif.) increased the lead to two on a feed from Vander Meulen two minutes later.

Paul LeBlanc notched the Crusaders only goal of the half with 49 seconds left in the first quarter on an assist from Bryan Sparkes.  The Raiders then rolled off five unanswered goals, including three from Vander Meulen to take a 7-1 lead heading into halftime.

Mike McKee tallied an unassisted man-up goal just ten seconds into the third quarter, before Vander Meulen and Rob Ryan (Manhasset, N.Y.) combined for two-straight goals to put the Raiders up 9-2.

Holy Cross came alive late in the game with four back-to-back goals to close the gap to 9-6.  Vander Meulen ended the Crusader run putting one past goalie Brian Hodgdon on a pass from Reid Diamond (Boston, Mass.).

The Crusader’s Michael Moriarty managed a goal with 4:10 left to play, but Ramsey Brame (West Hartford, Conn.) and Brendan Hurley (West Islip, N.Y.) administered the fatal blow with two late goals to secure the 12-7 victory.

Ryan registered two goals for 51³Ô¹ÏÍø while Brame and Hurley notched a goal and an assist each.  Saxon, Brennan, and Rob Trasolini (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) each added a goal to the effort.  Diamond, Rob Hearne (Princeton, N.J.), and Brian Robinson (Denver, Colo.) were credited with assists.

LeBlanc and McKee led the Crusaders with two goals and an assist apiece. Moriarty, Billy Klotz, and Will Seward also tallied points, while Sparkes added an assist.

51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s defense, which was ranked 18^th in the country as of last week, held Holy Cross to just 21 shots, while the Raider offense had 48 chances at the net.  51³Ô¹ÏÍø goalie Andrew Jarolimek (Silverthorne, Colo.) had nine saves, while Hodgdon turned away 17 shots.

The Raiders improve to 6-5 overall and 2-2 in Patriot League play, while Holy Cross falls to 3-6 on the season and 0-5 in conference contests.  51³Ô¹ÏÍø is back in action on Tuesday, April 13 as they head to West Point to face Army in a 7 p.m. contest.