Box Score Moon Township, Pa. - The Robert Morris University men's lacrosse team dropped a heart-breaker this afternoon to Sacred Heart University, 10-7, at Joe Walton Stadium in their first Colonial Athletic Association match-up of the year.
Junior Michael Fleming (Sarnia, Ontario / St. Christopher) led the Colonials in offense, netting three goals on the afternoon. Junior Andrew Watt (Kitchener, Ontario / Grand River Collegiate), Senior Carlo Sunseri (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon), Junior Alex Sewell (Mount Airy, Md. / Linganore) and Sophomore Truett Valentine (Alexandria, Va. / Mt. Vernon) each scored a goal.
Both teams played an evenly matched game through the first two quarters. The Colonials (3-3, 0-1 CAA) exchanged goals with the Pioneers, tying the game at 1-1, 2-2, 3-3 and 4-4.
The Pioneers looked as they were going to pull away late in the second quarter as Sophomore Dan Mulford (Lutherford, Md. / Calvert Hall) was hit with a two minute slashing call, putting Sacred Heart on an extended man-up. Robert Morris turned the tables though on their CAA foe with Carlo Sunseri taking a turnover from their own zone the length of the field for a man-down score to tie the game at 5-5 and taking both teams into halftime.
The Colonials opened up the third quarter with a quick score from Michael Fleming 1:13 into the half, giving the home team their first lead of the game. Unfortunately, this was the only lead they would get as Sacred Heart would bounce back with five unanswered goals stretching into the fourth quarter.
RMU would come within three when Fleming picked up his third of the game with 1:29 left in the fourth quarter. An assist was awarded to Sophomore Brandon Johnson (Finksburg, Md. / Westminster).
Junior Jason Dockum (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) and Freshman Sal Barcia (West Islip, N.Y. / West Islip) split time in goal with each net minder playing 30 minutes. Dockum recorded five saves while Barcia finished the game with seven.
The Colonials out-shot their opponent, 32-31, but lost the battle in ground balls, 23-16. Sacred Heart won 75% of the games face-offs.
Robert Morris returns to action this Saturday, March 31, as the Colonials travel to Towson, Md. to face the # 17 Towson Tigers in a Colonial Athletic Association contest. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m.
