Eddie Noonan with a pair of goals in the setback
RINDGE, N.H. (April 12, 2014) – Junior attackman
Kevin Dargin (Littleton, Mass.) pumped in a
team-best three goals to lead a spirited effort by the Franklin
Pierce University men's lacrosse team on Saturday, but the
Ravens couldn't sustain the effort in a tough 15-6 loss to
No. 2 nationally ranked and defending national champion Le Moyne at
Sodexo Field in Rindge.
The Ravens dropped their third
straight in falling to 5-5 overall and 3-5 in the Northeast-10,
while the Dolphins improved to 10-1 and 7-1 in league play.
Franklin Pierce outshot Le Moyne,
18-14, in the opening 30 minutes and equaled the Dolphins with five
faceoff wins apiece. In fact, Franklin Pierce's first four
shots included three going on net, and another banging off the
pipe. If it wasn't for Le Moyne goalkeeper's Pat
Brothers' efforts in net early on, the Ravens could have
easily found themselves with a couple markers early.
While Franklin Pierce
couldn't bust through, Le Moyne showed why it's one of
the nation's finest teams by putting in three in the opening
eight-and-a-half minutes, including a pair from Kevin Kelly, who
had a game-high four on the day.
The early goals and saves
didn't deter the Ravens' resolve, though, and they
pulled to within two at 4-2 midway through the second quarter on
back-to-back tallies from Dargin and Brenden Caldeira
(Sandwich, Mass.). By that point Franklin Pierce held a
14-10 edge in shots, and was able to put eight of those on net.
But as the Dolphins planned to do
the entire afternoon, they began to use their size and speed to
wear down the Ravens, and were able to throw in a pair of goals
late in the half, including one from Kelly with :05 left, to go up
6-2 at the break.
The late surge was a sign of things
to come in the third quarter as Le Moyne rang up a 13-2 edge in
shots, and scored seven times in the frame to open up a commanding
13-3 lead after three. Andrew Chadderdon, who had seven points on
the day with three goals and four assists, scored two of those and
tallied a helper in the third quarter alone to key the
Dolphins' run.
Chadderon tossed in his final goal
with 8:51 to go in the game to make it 15-3 before Franklin Pierce
banged in three of its own in the final 5:42 to make the score
closer. Dargin threw in consecutive tallies, and Eddie
Noonan (Foxboro, Mass.) scored his second of the game with
1:19 left.
Shots favored Le Moyne by a slim
34-30 margin, while the Ravens were able to put 16 of those on
goal.
Brothers made eight saves to earn
the win and run his record to 5-1 on the year. His counterpart,
Franklin Pierce goalie Don Denman (Exeter, N.H.),
turned aside 12 shots while falling to 5-5 on the year.
Le Moyne was 2-for-3 in man-up
situations, while the Ravens were 1-of-3. The Dolphins also did a
good job in the midfield with possession by going 15-of-17 in clear
attempts, while thwarting the Ravens to a 13-for-19 pace.
Franklin Pierce returns to action
Wednesday looking to snap its three-game losing streak when the
Ravens travel to Colchester, Vt. to take on Saint Michael's
at 4 p.m.
For more information on Franklin
Pierce men's lacrosse, please visit the team's page at
http://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).
Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce men's lacrosse
apparel can do so on the athletic department's online store
at http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store(.)
