PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Another big offensive day fueled the No. 7/8 Pace University men's lacrosse team to an 18-11 victory over Saint Michael's College in Friday's Northeast-10 Conference matchup at Pace Stadium.
 
FIRST QUARTER
- The game got off to a slow start, as the Purple Knights and Setters traded an early goal apiece.
- Sophomore Peter Bashar (Stratford, CT/St. Joseph) then put Pace ahead, 2-1, with 8:49 left in the first, but Saint Michael's Tom Fitzgerald tied it up two minutes later.
- Junior Ryan O'Hagan (Watervliet, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) broke the tie 20 seconds later, and then junior Michael Pappalardo (Ossining, NY/Ossining) took a feed from sophomore Wyatt Barfoot (Georgian Bluffs, Ontario/St. Mary's) and put it past the keeper to make it a 4-2 game with 3:17 left in the opening frame.
- Ralph Grillone III got one back for the Purple Knights, but junior Liam Brennan (Huntington Station, NY/Walt Whitman) and sophomore Kevin Vogelsberg (Wantagh, NY/Holy Trinity Diocesan) scored two more for the Setters to close out the first with a 6-3 advantage.
 
SECOND QUARTER
- Barfoot and Brennan scored the first two goals of the second to make it an 8-3 Pace lead.
- Connor McGuirk got one in for Saint Michael's with 2:12 left in the quarter, but it was the final goal scored in the half, leaving Pace ahead, 8-4, heading into the break.
 
THIRD QUARTER
- Pace opened up the third with some more firepower and netted the first four goals to go up, 12-4.
- The Purple Knights scored twice in 15 seconds, but sophomore Vincent Vasheo (Wantagh, NY/Wantagh) halted the short run at the 5:28 mark.
- Fitzgerald scored again for Saint Michael's, but Vogelsberg then scored back-to-back goals, the first of the man-down variety, to lead Pace to a 15-7 lead heading into the final frame.
 
FOURTH QUARTER
- The Purple Knights scored twice to open the fourth, but Brennan came back with a diving goal right in front of the crease to make it a 16-9 game.
- Kreitler followed just 45 seconds later to make it an eight-goal difference, and added one more later in the period, as the Setters finished strong to secure the seven-goal win.
 
GOALIE DECISIONS
Win: Robert Beshlian (Wantagh, NY/Wantagh) (4-0)
Loss: Matt Hanley (0-2)
 
Goalkeeper Notes
- Junior goalkeeper Robert Beshlian (Wantagh, NY/Wantagh) stopped eight shots to improve to 4-0 on the season.
- Saint Michael's keeper Matt Hanley made a game-high 13 saves.
 
SETTER STATS
- Brennan had another big game, totaling six points on three goals and three assists. He also picked up two ground balls.
- Barfoot dished out three assists and scored a goal of his own for a four-point game. He, too, had two ground balls.
- Kreitler and Vogelsberg both matched Brennan's hat trick, while sophomore Bradley Paterson (Caldwell, NJ/Depaul Catholic), O'Hagan and Bashar each netted two.
- Beshlian led the Setters with five ground balls, while senior Brandon Donnellan (Chester, NY/Warwick Valley) caused a team-high two turnovers and scooped up three ground balls himself.
 
PURPLE KNIGHT LEADERS
- Brian Loughlin and Fitzgerald had matching three-point games, Loughlin with three assists and Fitzgerald with three goals.
- Grillone had a goal and an assist for a two-point afternoon, while Taylor Wallace scored twice.
- Matt Cotter had a game-high eight ground balls and caused two turnovers.
 
HOW'D THEY STACK UP
- The Setters outshot the Purple Knights, 38-32, including a 31-19 advantage in shots on goal.
- Pace went a perfect 19-for-19 on clear attempts, while Saint Michael's converted 12-of-14.
- Pace also won the ground-ball battle, 35-29, but faceoffs were even at 16 apiece.
 
RECORDS
#7/8 Pace: 4-0 (2-0 NE10)
Saint Michael's: 1-1 (0-1 NE10)
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
- The Setters play next on Saturday, March 25, when they visit No. 3 Merrimack College for a battle between nationally-ranked NE10 rivals. The opening faceoff is set for 1 p.m.
 
For all information regarding Pace University men's lacrosse, log on to www.PaceUAthletics.com, follow Pace Athletics on Facebook (T-Bone, Official Mascot of Pace University Athletics), and follow the men's lacrosse team on Twitter (@PaceLacrosse) and on Instagram (@PaceUnivLax).
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