NEW HAVEN, Conn.-- Freshman Matt Moran (West Henrietta, N.Y.) scored three goals including the game-winner and junior goalie Jimmy Harrison (East Williston, N.Y.) made a career best 22 saves as the Holy Cross men's lacrosse team defeated Yale, 7-6, this afternoon in non-conference action at Reese Stadium. This marks the first time in school history that the Crusaders have defeated the Bulldogs in men's lacrosse. Yale won the previous first seven contests starting in 1965. With the win, the Crusaders improve to 2-0, while the Bulldogs start their season 0-1.

Senior Toby Banta (Melrose, Mass.), senior Tim Redmond (Andover, Mass.), junior Luke Marchand (Concord, Mass.) and sophomore Kenny Minor (South Hadley, Mass.) each scored one goal for the Crusaders, while Redmond and sophomore Edison Parzanese (Edgartown, Mass.) each added one assist. Yale was led by Tyler Casertano's two goals.

The Crusaders jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Minor scored his first goal of the season with 11:29 on the clock in the first period. The Bulldogs then scored three straight goals to take a 3-1 lead. In the second period, Holy Cross answered back with a man-up goal by Marchand and a goal by Moran to tie the game at 3-3 going into halftime.

Yales Colin Ford netted the only goal of the third period to give the Bulldogs a 4-3 advantage. In the fourth period, the Crusaders tied the game at 4-4 with 11:18 remaining with a goal by Banta. Redmond earned an assist on the goal. Just 10 seconds later, Casertano gave the Bulldogs back the lead. With 8:37 left in the period, Redmond tied the game at 5-5 with his first goal of the year. Parzanese was credited with an assist. Moran then scored two consecutive goals including the game-winner to give the Crusaders a 7-5 lead. With 2:06 left in regulation, Patrick Coleman made it a 7-6 game, but the Bulldogs were unable to tie the game for the 7-6 final score.

Yale goalie George Carafides stopped 17 shots. Yale outshot Holy Cross by a 40-36 margin. The Crusaders return to action on Tuesday, February 26, when they travel to Hanover, N.H., to meet Dartmouth at 3:00 p.m.

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Brian Douglass' desperation shot with seconds left on the clock was blocked as Holy Cross preserved a 7-6 win over the Yale men's lacrosse team at the Bulldogs' 2008 opening day at Reese Stadium.

Trailing by a goal and playing a man down, the Elis caused a turnover and Douglass carried the ball into the Crusader end prior to having his shot stopped before reaching netminder Jimmy Harrison, who finished with an impressive 22 saves.

Holy Cross (2-0) stunned the home team with the game's first goal at 11:29 of the first quarter, but the Blue stormed back with goals from Jonathan Koenig, Douglass and Tyler Casertano, Yale's only two-goal scorer.

Douglass and Casertano scored off quick transitions that followed quality saves by Eli goalkeeper George Carafides, who made 17 overall.

Yale (0-1) entered the second with a 3-1 lead but Harrison stopped all nine shots in that quarter and enabled the Crusaders, looking for their first-ever win over the Blue, to even the score (3-3) at halftime. The equalizer came off the stick of Matt Moran, who finished with a game-high three goals.

Tenacious defensive efforts by both teams in the third quarter resulted in one goal and a 4-3 Yale lead.

In the fourth, Casertano scored between Holy Cross tallies by Toby Banta and Tim Redmond to make it 5-5 with 8:37 left.

That's when Moran, who had the go-ahead and game-winner, took over for the visitors. Following several spectacular stops by Carafides, the Crusader attackman hit the net at 3:20 and then found an open net at 2:27 when the Elis tried to put more pressure on the ball.

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2008-02-24