Men's Lacrosse Returns with 11-10 Victory at Briarcliffe
Patchogue, N.Y. - The American International College men's lacrosse team opened the 2008 season with an 11-10 come-from-behind victory at Briarcliffe Saturday afternoon at the Suffolk PAL Sports Complex. Senior Leon Mularski (Wallingford, Conn.) scored the game-winning goal, his first of the year, with 2:49 remaining in the contest.
The win snapped a 43-game losing streak for the Yellow Jackets, whose last victory was a 13-10 decision over Franklin Pierce back on April 25, 2002. That skid had spanned the 2002-06 seasons; AIC did not field a team last year.
AIC held a 4-1 advantage after the first quarter, but Briarcliffe scored nine of the next 10 goals in the game to take a 10-6 lead 2:48 into the fourth and final period. The Yellow Jackets closed the game with five unanswered goals, including two tallies from freshmen Dan MacIsaac (Port Perry, Ont.) and Travis Ortensi (Deerfield, Mass.), to record the win.
Ortensi scored twice in just 12 seconds to cut AIC's deficit to two, 10-8. The score remained that way until the first of MacIsaac's markers with 4:37 left in the game, which was assisted by Mularski. MacIsaac scored again 55 seconds later to tie the game with an assist from junior Mike Swazlowski (Leeds, Mass.).
Ortensi and MacIsaac finished with three goals each in the game. Sophomore Nick Abraham (Tewksbury, Mass.) scored two goals with one assist in his collegiate debut and Swazlowski netted one goal with two assists.
Johnnie Johnson accounted for four of Briarcliffe's goals, three of which came during the team's 9-2 run in the middle two quarters of the contest, while Rob Ponzio and Joe Sperduto each added a pair of goals.
Freshman Mark Taylor (North Andover, Mass.) made 15 saves in 49:18 to record the win in net, while Devin Baker made seven saves in taking the loss for Briarcliffe.
The Yellow Jackets return to action Tuesday when they host Saint
Anselm at 4 p.m. at John Homer Miller Field.