Box Score PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The Pace University men's lacrosse team kicked off NE10 play with a victory, as the Setters defeated Saint Michael's College 16-11 Wednesday, March 15 in an afternoon home matchup.

The Setters (4-0, 1-0 NE10) got on the board in the opening minute, as senior midfielder Anthony Caputo (Westbury, N.Y./W.T Clarke) put one in to give Pace the early lead. The Purple Knights (2-1, 0-1 NE10) answered back just over a minute later, tying the game at one on a goal by Cristian Reyes. Saint Michael's then took the lead with 4:24 remaining, with Sebastian Simonson putting one on the board for Sain Michael's.

The Setters came right back to take the lead with a pair of goals in the final minutes of the quarter. Freshman attack Declan Landers (Liverpool, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) scoring off an assist by junior midfielder Rafael Rodriguez, Jr. (Farmingville, N.Y./Sachem East), followed by a last-minute goal by sophomore attack Daniel Zabbia (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West) to put Pace ahead 3-2 heading to the second.

The Purple Knights tied it just 21 seconds into the quarter, but Zabbia scored his second of the day to make it a 4-3 game just over a minute into the period. One minute later, Caputo picked up his second as well, extending the Pace lead to two. Back-to-back goals by Saint Michaels tied the game at 5-5 with nine minutes left, but the home team then took control. Rodriguez scored his fifth of the year, and Zabbia scored three goals in a 3:24 span to extend the Setter lead to 9-5. With a man-advantage, Rodriguez scored once more to extend the lead to five going into halftime.

Zabbia's sixth of the day got Pace going in the third, putting the team ahead by an 11-5 score. Simonson came back for the Purple Knights three minutes later, cutting the Setter lead back down to five. Late in the period, Rodriguez connected on his third of the day, putting Pace ahead by six goals. Both teams scored once more before the end of the third, with Landers picking up his second to make it a 13-7 game going to the fourth.

Early in the fourth, Zabbia scored once more, extending the lead to seven. But two straight goals by Saint Michael's made it a five-goal game, with Max Katavolos and Simonson scoring for the visitors. With a man-up opportunity in the final minutes, grad student attack Devin Bell (Calgary, Alberta/Ernest Manning) scored his second of the year for Pace. The Purple Knights scored a pair of late goals, but the Setters took the victory 16-11 to start off conference play with a win.

Zabbia had seven goals on the day, and junior midfielder Maxwell Streety (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) had 11 ground balls while going 22-of-29 from the faceoff circle. Caputo had two goals, four assists, two ground balls and two caused turnovers. Sophomore midfielder James Mantione (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Comsewogue) had four ground balls and caused one turnover, and grad student Louis Ragusa (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) got the victory in net, making 12 saves on the day.

Up Next
The Setters return to the field Saturday, March 18, when they host Georgian Court University in a home matchup. Game time is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.