Links: Box Score
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Merrimack College men's lacrosse team led in the fourth quarter, but could not secure the victory in a 14-11 loss to Fairfield Tuesday afternoon at Rafferty Stadium.
Charlie Bertrand had another outstanding offensive showing, as he finished with six points on three goals and three assists, but a 5-0 run by the Stags to end the game was enough to top the visitors.
The Basics
Score: Fairfield 14,
Merrimack 11
Records: Merrimack (0-3, 0-0 NEC) | Fairfield (2-0, 0-0 CAA)
Attendance: 327
Rapid Recap
- The hosts started hot and scored the first three goals of the game in the opening four minutes.
- Bertrand got his goal scoring day started a few minutes after the third Stag goal, as he weaved his way past a defender and scored on a sharp angle.
- The Stags responded and scored twice in the final four minutes of the first quarter to claim a 5-1 lead after 15 minutes.
- Merrimack came out blazing hot in the second quarter and it started just 48 seconds in. Bertrand flipped a pass to Christian Thomas directly in front of the goal, then Thomas took a turnaround shot that found the back of the net.
- The Warrior run continued a minute and a half later when Jake Holava made himself available in front, then Sean Black found him for an easy dunk.
- Merrimack's run continued over a minute later when Bertrand fought through a check and fired home a low shot.
- Bertrand completed the hat trick and tied the game a minute and a half after when he bodied off a defender and chucked it home.
- Fairfield stopped the Warrior run at four with 5:45 to play in the half to retake its lead at 6-5.
- Tyler Liantonio took a great feed from Bertrand with just over four minutes to play to get the game back to even.
- Christian Thomas rolled off a defender with just under three minutes to play in the half and received a pass from Black, before he ripped home his second of the day.
- The Stags had a late answer, as they tied it up at seven with 15 seconds to play to send the sides deadlocked into the break.
- Merrimack came out hard in the second half and went on a 2-0 run in the first six minutes capped by a tight angle goal from Drew Hailey on a feed from Bertrand.
- Fairfield bookended a Dom Thomas goal to finish the quarter, as Merrimack entered the fourth with a 10-9 advantage.
- The Warriors had another strong start to a quarter in the fourth when Christian Thomas faked a shot, then cut inside to score just 1:27 in.
- Momentum shifted significantly after Thomas' goal. The Stags went on a 5-0 run to retake the lead and finish the game.
Notes and Numbers
- Christian Thomas finished with a hat trick on the day and Black also had three points on a trio of assists.
- Merrimack was held scoreless on the man-up after they started the season a perfect 6-for-6.
- Peter Brown was in net for the whole game and made eight saves.
- Riley Reed led the Warriors with two caused turnovers.
- Shots: 41-38 Fairfield (22-19 Fairfield SOG)
- EMO: Fairfield: 2-5 // MC: 0-5
- Faceoffs: 15-13 Fairfield // Ground Balls: 35-28 Fairfield
- Turnovers (CT): 21-21 (8-7 MC) // Clears: Fairfield: 14-20 // MC: 18-22
Up Next
The Warriors fly out west to Ann Arbor, Mich. for a game against Michigan Saturday. Face-off is set for 1 pm at U-M Lacrosse Stadium.
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