LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - The Marist men's lacrosse team could not overcome a powerful Siena offense, falling 20-8 in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) game Saturday afternoon.
Marist got two goals apiece from Drew Nesmith (Montclair, N.J.) and Evan Guarini (Long Valley, N.J.). Mike O'Hagan (Yonkers, N.Y.) had a goal and an assist. Craig Goodermote (Holtsville, N.Y.) made 19 saves in just over three quarters in the Marist net.
After the Red Foxes (6-5, 3-2 MAAC) drew first blood on a goal from Nesmith, Siena (9-3, 5-0 MAAC) responded with three straight scores to end the first quarter, including to goals in a seven-second span.
O'Hagan cut the deficit to one with his first goal of the season at 3-2 with 13:15 left in the second quarter.
The teams then traded scores, including a goal by Guarini on an assist by O'Hagan, before the Saints came back with another three streak to open the game up at 7-3 with 5:54 remaining in the half.
Another goal by Nesmith broke the Red Foxes' drought, but the Saints scored twice more in the last two and a half minutes to take a 9-4 lead at halftime.
Goodermote had 11 saves in the opening 30 minutes as the Saints landed 20 shots on net in the first half.
The Saints kept the offense rolling with two goals in the first five minutes of the third quarter to extend their lead to 11-4.
Guarini scored a man-up goal for the Red Foxes to end a 12-minute scoreless streak for Marist with 8:47 left, bringing the score to 11-5.
The Saints scored nine of the final 12 goals however to run away with it. Brendan Woods (Essex, conn.), Jim Marks (Camillus, N.Y.) and Gannon Osborn (Canandaigua, N.Y.) all added goals for Marist, but it was not enough.
The Red Foxes close the regular season with two home games this week. They will play a non-conference contest against St. Joseph's on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. They will then play the season finale on Saturday at 4 p.m. versus Canisius. The team will celebrate their annual Senior Day ceremony prior to the game.
Notes - Woods wore #34 in honor of former Red Fox Eddie Coombs, who died last summer in an automobile accident. Each game, a Marist player will wear the jersey based on who the coaches think earned it with their effort and play in practice and the previous game... Junior Connor Rice (Penfield, N.Y.) was held without a point for the first time in his career. He had registered at least one point in his previous 40 games, which was the fifth longest streak in the country... The win clinched the regular season championship for Siena.
