Providence, RI -- Down 3-2 midway through the third quarter, Siena scored four straight goals and fended off a late Providence run to defeat the Friars 8-5 in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men's lacrosse game Saturday afternoon in Providence, Rhode Island.

The Saints were perfect in the MAAC this season, winning all eight conference games. They head into the MAAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed and are riding an eight-game win streak. It is just the third Siena victory against Providence in 24 tries.

Providence (6-9, 5-3) took a 1-0 lead just over a minute into the game on Colin Tigh's first goal of the game. Siena's (10-5, 8-0) senior midfielder Kenny Mazzone tied it at the 7:28 mark.

Ryan Duggan gave the Saints a 2-1 lead at the 9:11 mark of the second quarter, a lead they would take into halftime. Goalie Brent Herbst made eight of his 10 saves in the first half, five in the second period.

Providence jumped in front in the second half, scoring two goals and taking a 3-2 lead with 7:31 left in the third quarter. But the Saints rallied with four straight goals to take a 6-3 lead with 12:18 left in the fourth quarter. Mazzone scored the first two goals of that run. He finished with three goals and one assist.

Tigh led a late charge for the Friars, scoring two goals in a four-minute span and bringing his team within one goal with five minutes left in the game. Siena took a one minute penalty following the goal and gave Providence a chance to tie it. But the defense buckled down and allowed just one shot (that went wide) before clearing it and killing off the penalty. Loftus scored two late goals to secure the Saints victory.

All three of Siena's wins (1996, 1998, 2009) against Providence have come in Rhode Island.

Loftus and Mazzone combined for six of Siena's eight goals. Duggan and Bryan Neufeld added a goal apiece.

Siena returns to action in the MAAC Tournament semifinals in Buffalo, N.Y. on Friday, May 1. They play the No. 4 seed at 1:30 p.m.

2009-04-25