Ryan Dintaman throws in three goals to spark Franklin Pierce attack

WALTHAM, Mass. (April 23, 2012) -- The Franklin Pierce University men's lacrosse team could not shake off five third quarter goals by Bentley in dropping a tough 9-8 decision to the Falcons on Monday at Bentley Turf Field in Waltham, Mass. The Ravens fell to 6-6 overall and 4-5 in the Northeast-10, while the Falcons improved to 4-7 and 4-4 in league play.

Bentley scored five unanswered goals in the third quarter to turn a 5-3 halftime deficit into an 8-5 advantage heading into the fourth quarter. J.D. Ayer got the scoring started for Bentley nearly 90 seconds into quarter with an unassisted tally, and Steve Caditz followed three-and-a-half minutes later with the tying goal that beat Franklin Pierce goalkeeper Don Denman (Exeter, N.H.) high side in the right corner. Brendan Grant put the Falcons up 6-5 at the 7:31 mark when he beat Denman low side off a nice pass from Richard Travers.

Franklin Pierce, though, didn't fold from the three-goal adversity entering the fourth quarter and went right back to work trying to tie the game. Senior midfielder Jimmy McInnis (Amherst, N.H.) started the rally for the Ravens with 7:29 remaining in the game as he threw in an unassisted goal to cut the deficit to 8-6. Franklin Pierce went to a man-up situation a little more than two minutes later and senior Ryan Dintaman (Northfield, Mass.) cashed in for the Ravens as he threw in a tally, off a feed from McInnis, to make it a one-goal game.

Bentley, however, countered and essentially put the game out of reach at the 3:14 mark when Ayer scored on an unassisted tally that just eluded the paddle of Denman to lower right corner of the net. Dintaman brought Franklin Pierce to within a goal at 9-8 with :52 left, but the Ravens could not get the equalizer in the closing seconds despite having possession.

In addition to Bentley's offensive output in the second half, Falcons goalie Josh Baker proved to be the difference maker as well, as he came on in relief of starter Brian Karl to begin the third quarter and made eight saves over the final 30 minutes to earn the win. Ayer, Caditz and Justin Holmes each scored a pair of goals to spark Bentley.

McInnis and Dintaman each threw in a trio of goals to lead Franklin Pierce. McInnis also added an assist for a four-point afternoon, and now is one helper shy of tying the program record for career assists, which is 34. Denman made 15 saves despite suffering the loss to fall to 6-6 on the season.

McInnis got the scoring started in the first quarter as he dumped in an unassisted marker two minutes in. Following a Holmes' goal for Bentley, Dintaman and freshman attackman Kevin Dargin (Littleton, Mass.) pumped in back-to-back tallies to give the Ravens a 3-1 lead. Franklin Pierce held a 3-2 advantage after one quarter.

Sophomore attacker Eddie Noonan (Foxboro, Mass.) and Dintaman sandwiched goals around a Holmes marker in the second quarter to stake the Ravens to a 5-3 lead at the intermission. 

Franklin Pierce held a 12-8 advantage in faceoffs, but Bentley won the battle for ground balls by a 35-28 count.

The Ravens return to action on Saturday when they close out their regular season by playing host to Pace at 12 p.m. in Sodexo Field in Rindge.

For more information on Franklin Pierce men's lacrosse, please visit the team's page at athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.) To follow the program even further, please visit Franklin Pierce Athletics on YouTube (www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports), Twitter (www.twitter.com/FPUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens).