DIX HILLS, N.Y. – Despite holding a 6-5 lead at the half, the Plattsburgh State men's lacrosse team fell, 11-10, to the University of Scranton on Saturday afternoon at Half Hollow Hills High School East in non-conference action.
 
Plattsburgh State traded goals with Scranton all throughout the second half before the Royals scored twice in a span of 1:44 late in the fourth quarter to take an 11-9 advantage. While senior attackman Jake Carroll (East Northport, N.Y./Northport) scored with four seconds remaining in regulation, the Cardinals were unable to net the equalizer in the waning moments.
 
The Cardinals drop to 1-3 overall with the loss and next visit Stockton University on Wednesday, March 20, at 4 p.m. The Royals rise to 3-4 overall with the win and visit Misericordia University next on Wednesday, March 20, at 5 p.m.
 
Sophomore midfielder James Sherwood (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport-South Manor) fired the opening salvo 1:40 into the game, while Carroll netted a man-up goal on a pass from senior midfielder Kevin Murphy (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) to make it a 2-0 contest just more than five minutes into the first quarter. Scranton got one back with a goal by junior long-stick midfielder Alexander Dadourian on a pass from sophomore midfielder Collin Purdy, but after a Carroll goal, Scranton went on a 4-0 run to take a 5-3 lead. Junior midfielder Daniel Bonafede (Churchville, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) scored unassisted with his first collegiate goal with 6:31 left in the second quarter before connecting with sophomore attackman Stephen Kane (Hampden, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) to knot the tally at 5-all.
 
Junior attackman Jack Mullen (Long Beach, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) scored a man-up goal on a pass from junior midfielder Kevin Litchauer (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Arlington) with 3:56 left in the first half, giving Plattsburgh State a 6-5 lead at the halftime intermission. Both teams traded goals until Scranton's junior attackman Connor Kirkwood scored two in a row to give the Royals a 9-8 lead. During that span of traded goals, Mullen and freshman attackman/midfielder Dilon Smith (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) both scored, with Smith's being the first goal of his collegiate career.
 
Sherwood tied the game at 9-all before junior midfielder Michael Elefonte and freshman attackman Cole Lukasiewicz opened up a two-goal lead for Scranton with two minutes to go.
 
Scranton finished with a 52-41 edge in shots and went 14-for-16 on clears, while Plattsburgh State was 16-for-19 on the ride. The Royals were 14-for-23 at the X and won the ground ball battle, 26-22, while the Cardinals were 2-for-3 on extra-man opportunities. Scranton was 2-for-6 with the extra man.
 
Carroll led the Cardinals with three goals, while Bonafede registered the first three points of his career on a goal and two assists. Sherwood and Mullen each scored twice, while Kane and Smith each notched a goal. Senior defenseman Chris Rupp (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) led the defense with four ground balls and two caused turnovers, while junior long-stick midfielder Kyle Smith (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem East) had three ground balls and one caused turnover.
 
For Scranton, Kirkwood and Elefonte led the way with four points each on three goals and an assist, while Lukasiewicz and senior attackman Tim Dolan each scored twice. Dadourian notched two points on a goal and an assist. On the draw, Purdy was 14-for-22.
 
Sophomore goalie Joe Falco (Middletown, N.Y./Valley Central) made 13 saves in the win for the Cardinals, while sophomore goalie Shayne Fallon turned aside 15 shots in the loss for the Royals.