Men’s Lacrosse’s Inaugural Season Ends With Loss to Kean

Written by Andrew Capitelli (SJC-LI Sports Information)

Patchogue, NY| The St. Joseph's College (L.I.) men's lacrosse team saw its inaugural season come to a close on Saturday evening after suffering a 16-12 loss to Kean University at home.

The Golden Eagles wrap their first-ever season with a 7-6 overall record and a 4-5 mark in conference play. The Cougars, who move to 8-4 on the year and 5-4 in conference play clinch the fifth seed in the Skyline Conference Championship.

In the final collegiate game of his career, senior Josh Shaw recorded three goals and four assists for a team-best seven points. Fellow senior Scott Reece and junior Brandon Riley both also recorded hat tricks.

Keeper Andrew Yoli made 10 saves on 26 shots, and Declan Canevari won 11 of 27 face-offs.

Kean would tally the first goal of the game at 13:01, but Shaw's responding goal and Riley's hat trick ensured the hosts entered the second quarter with a 4-3 lead.

The Cougars responded with three-straight goals in the second, but consecutive marks by Reece knotted the game up at six with 7:07 to play in the half.

Mike Snellen would kick off a 3-1 run for the guests that resulted in the Cougars taking a two-goal lead (9-7) into the break.

After going goal-for-goal in the third the SJC deficit was just one (11-10) heading into the fourth, but a 5-0 run by Kean buried the Golden Eagles en route to a 16-12 victory.

Despite being credited with more turnovers (17-14), Kean held edges in shots (42-31), face-offs (19-12) and ground balls (32-26).

Shaw finishes the season as the team's top point scorer (60 points), and Reece scored a team-best 36 goals.