The Fairfield University men's lacrosse team dropped a 12-6 ECAC Lacrosse League decision to visiting #15/16 University of Massachusetts Tuesday afternoon at Alumni Stadium. The Stags fall to 6-6 overall and 3-3 in ECAC play, while the Minutemen improve to 8-4 on the year and 5-1 in conference action.

The teams traded goals over the first 21:39 with Evan Blum scoring the only goal of the first-quarter, unassisted, at the 7:32 mark for a 1-0 Minutemen lead. Nick Baglio evened the score 37 seconds into the second quarter, with an unassisted goal, but the tie was short-lived. UMass's Jim Connolly tallied the go-ahead goal at the 12:45 mark, for the 2-1 lead, but Chris Trombino knotted the game 4:24 later for the Stags. Bobby Hayes scored the final two goals of the first-half, both unassisted, to give the Minutemen a 4-2 halftime lead.

Hayes fed teammate Tim Balise 89 seconds into the third quarter for a man-up goal and a 5-2 UMass advantage. Reed Marko netted his first career goal seven seconds, after scooping up the face-off ground ball, making the score 5-3. Chris Ajemian scored an unassisted goal for the Stags with 10:18 remaining in the third, to get within a goal, 5-4, but the Stags were unable to get even.

Fairfield did not score again until there was just 2:33 left to play in the fourth quarter. During the stretch UMass dumped in seven goals to pull ahead 12-4. John Snellman struck twice in the final 2:33 for the final margin.

Charlie Cipriano took the loss in goal for the Stags, making six saves, while Doc Schneider made 12 saves, while allowing four goals in 57:14 of action. Mael Walkowiack played the final 2:46 allowing two goals, while making a pair of saves.

Snellman led the Stags with his two goals, while Trombino also had two points, with a goal and an assist. Nick Baglio added a goal, while Brent Adams had one assist, stretching his consecutive games with a point streak to 12 games.

Hayes finished with four points for UMass, while Evan Blum touched net three times in the win. Connolly, Balise and Rory Pedrick all scored twice for the Minutemen.

Fairfield out shot UMass 40-26 for the game, and held a 29-28 advantage in ground balls. The Stags cleared well, 14-15, while UMass was 22-27. The Minutemen scored on both of their man-up chances, while the UMass defense held Fairfield 0-5 in extra-man opportunities.

The Stags close out the regular season on Saturday by hosting St. John's at 1:00 p.m.

* * * *

FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Behind a 7-0 second half run, the UMass men's lacrosse team turned a slim 5-4 lead into a convincing 12-4 advantage on its way to a 12-6 victory on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. Five Minutemen (8-4, 5-1 ECAC) finished with multi-goal games, including a trio of midfielders, Evan Blum (3 goals), Bobby Hayes (2), and Rory Pedrick (2), who combined for seven of the 12 goals.

Doc Schneider stood tall with 12 saves, including seven straight as part of the run that spanned 22:45. With a win at Rutgers during the regular season's final weekend, the Minutemen would clinch their first ECAC Conference Title since 2005. Sandwiched between that contest is Saturday's huge nonconference tilt vs. defending National Champion Syracuse at 1:30 p.m. at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.

The hat trick for Blum marked a career-high while the two goals for Hayes and Pedrick each tied career-highs. Senior attackmen Tim Balise and Jim Connolly added two goals apiece.

The Minutemen were remarkably efficient, with their 12 goals coming on only 24 shots. The 22:45 scoring streak marked the second straight game the defense has kept its opponent scoreless for over 20 minutes of play.

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2009-04-21