Box Score BOHEMIA, N.Y. – Looking to rebound from a loss earlier in the week, the Plattsburgh State men's lacrosse team got just that as the Cardinals rallied for an 8-5 win over Kean in a non-conference matchup Friday night at Connetquot High School.
The two teams traded goals throughout the first 30 minutes with Kean holding a 3-2 edge at the half. Kean's Richard Cheifitz opened the scoring at the 9:55 mark of the first quarter but Plattsburgh State answered back with a goal from James Read a little over a minute later. Cheifitz struck again with 18 seconds left in the first to give the Cougars a 2-1 lead at the end of one.
Plattsburgh State's Anthony Pafundi knotted the score at 2-2 with 5:31 left in the first half but Cheifitz secured the hat trick at the 2:39 mark of the second quarter to give Kean the 3-2 advantage after two quarters of play.
The Cardinals (2-1) dominated the latter portion of Friday's game, opening the second half with six goals from six different players. Pafundi notched the equalizer with 4:19 gone in the third before Brendan Damm, Robbie Ashlaw and Cole Andersen added goals in the third.
Tom Duggan tallied his second of the season at the 7:19 mark of the fourth quarter to stretch the Cardinals' lead to 7-3 before Read netted his second of the night at the 3:41 mark to round out the scoring for Plattsburgh State.
Kean (2-1) got two back in the final minute of play from Cheifitz and John Marcelli to reach the 8-5 final.
Pafundi led the Cardinals with two goals and an assist while Read, Andersen, Damm and Tim Lawrence contributed two points apiece. Damm picked up a team-high six ground balls and Joe Eiseman won 8-of-13 face-offs.
Cheifitz served as the main source of offense for the Cougars, scoring four goals. Kean goalie Dino Vitale finished the night with six groundballs.
The Cardinals outshot the Cougars, 52-24, and held a 39-29 advantage in ground balls. Both teams went 0-for-6 on extra-man opportunities.
Andrew Hauk allowed three goals and made six saves to earn the win for the Cardinals. Plattsburgh State's Joe Mantovani stepped in for the final 2:25, allowing a pair of goals. Vitale recorded 16 saves in the loss for the Cougars.
Plattsburgh State wraps up the weekend with a non-conference game at Western Connecticut State on Sunday at 2 p.m.
