PISCATAWAY, N.J. (March 29, 2008) – The Rutgers men's lacrosse team built an early lead and held on to defeat ECAC foe St. John's 9-6 at Yurcak Field on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Scarlet Knights (3-4, 2-1) have picked up back-to-back conference victories and improve to 8-2 in their last 10 home games.

Rutgers sophomore Justin Pennington (Flemington, N.J.) opened the scoring with his 13th goal of the season early in the first quarter. After STJ tied the game in the fourth minute, RU scored three consecutive goals to take a 4-1 halftime lead. First freshman Brian Shemesh (Hillsborough, N.J.) found the back of the net to give the home team a 2-1 advantage. Then freshman Kory Kelly (Princeton, N.J.) scored off an assist from Pennington, and Jeff Rommel (Syracuse, N.Y.) followed that with his fifth goal of the season to give RU the three goal advantage at the intermission.

St. John's (0-8, 0-3) would battle back in the second half, posting three consecutive goals to draw even at four. However, Rutgers would take the lead for good on a goal by sophomore Gerhard Buehning (Essex Fells, N.J.) off an assist from Tad Stanwick (Baltimore, Md.) with 7:50 to go in the third quarter. With the score at 5-4, Kelly, Rommel and Stanwick all tallied goals to give RU an 8-4 lead, and the team held on to win by three.

Junior goalie Bill Olin (Horseheads, N.Y.) played all 60 minutes, stopping nine shots to pick up the win. The Scarlet Knights helped themselves by winning 14 of the 19 faceoffs, and Pennington, who is ranked fifth in the nation in ground balls per game, finished with a game-high eight.

RU returns to action on Tuesday, April 1, when non-conference opponent Manhattan comes to Yurcak Field. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.

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PISCATAWAY, N.J. (March 29, 2008) Even with a five-goal effort in the third period, St. Johns lacrosse was edged by Rutgers, 9-6, in ECAC action, Saturday afternoon on Yurcak Field.

With the loss, the Red Storm falls to 0-8 on the season and 0-3 in league play. The Scarlet Knights advance to 3-4 on the season and 2-1 in the ECAC.

Rutgers scored first, two minutes into the game. St. Johns tied it up seven minutes later, as senior Justin ODonnell scored top shelf on Scarlet Knight goaltender Bill Olin fed in front of the net by junior Malcolm Miles.

The Scarlet Knights scored with just over two minutes left in the first quarter, taking the 2-1 lead into the second stanza. Rutgers scored two more with under six minutes left in the half to extend their lead to three, 4-1.

The Red Storm came back fired up in the second half as junior Trevor Michaelsen, fed by classmate Tom Manes scored a minute and a half into the third period making the score 4-2.

Long-stick midfielder, junior Dom DeNapoli came right back down the field 30 seconds later with a Red Storm fast break and sent the ball flying into the top left corner of the Scarlet Knights net to tighten the gap to one goal.

Miles continued the Red Storms three goal streak, scoring unassisted to tie the game at four.

The Scarlet Knights answered right back with four goals of their own with sophomore Tad Tanwick picking up two assists and a goal in the two minute scoring run to put Rutgers up 8-4.

Picking up the groundball off his own face-off win and charging toward the goal, senior Jack Rosson ended the Rutgers streak with an unassisted goal at 5:42.

Scarlet Knight Collin Donahue tallied another for Rutgers scored unassisted with under four minutes left in the third to advance Rutgers to nine goals.

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2008-03-29