WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. -- The 6th-ranked Siena Heights men's lacrosse team gave up one goal too many to fall on the road against current top-ranked Cumberlands (Ky.) 9-8 in a Sunday road contest. Freshman Jake Gallaher continued to lead the Saints as he scored a game-high five goals in the losing effort.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Cumberlands (Ky.) 9, Siena Heights 8
Location: Williamsburg, Kentucky
Records: (1) Cumberlands (4-1), (6) Siena Heights (1-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Jake Gallaher gave the Saints a 1-0 lead after a goal with 6:40 remaining in the first quarter. He was assisted on the play by Garnet Potter. Cumberlands knotted things up with just under five minutes remaining in the opening 15 minutes.
Gallaher struck a second time to reclaim the lead, 2-1, in the opening two minutes of the second quarter. Nolan Lyons was credited with the assist in the Saints second goal. Nathan Lipon extended the Siena lead to 3-1 with an unassisted goal with 11:28 left in the first half. The Patriots scored goals with 7:05 and 5:19 left in the second to tie things back up at three goals each. Gallaher completed the hat trick in the final two minutes of the half to give the Saints a 4-3 lead into the locker room.
The top-ranked home team started the second half with a goal to tie the game for a third time before Garnet Potter put the ball into the net to gain the third lead for SHU with 9:26 on the clock in the third quarter. Again, the Patriots tied things up with a score just over one minute later. Three straight goals by UC would give the team its first lead of the game, 7-5, to end the third quarter.
The home team would tally a fourth straight to start the fourth quarter for am 8-5 lead. Gallaher netted his fourth goal to cut the deficit to two goals before the Patriots put the lead back to three goals with under 10 minutes left to play. Gallaher scored his fifth and final goal of the game to bring the score to 9-7, Patriots. Potter scored a man-up goal to cut the deficit to one goal, but the Saints would fail to tie the game up before the end of regulation.
TOP SAINTS
• Gallaher added four ground balls and one caused turnover to his team-leading stats. He also won 4-5 faceoffs in the contest.
• Potter scored twice and notched two assists.
• Lipon totaled four ground balls and a goal.
• Nolan Lyons and Ryan Mamo each registered an assist. Lyons added two ground balls.
• Tanner Cowell led the Saints with eight ground balls while Hunter Zieman had a team-high two caused turnovers.
THE OPPOSITION
• Dylan Crouch and Alex Heckler each had a hat trick and an assist to lead the Patriots.
• Kody Swann had six ground balls to lead the team in the category.
• Devon McMillin had a game-high three caused turnovers.
UP NEXT
The Saints return home for a game against Missouri Baptist this Thursday, March 14 at 7:00 p.m. EST.