Box Score Fairfield, Conn. ? The Robert Morris University men's lacrosse team opened up Colonial Athletic Association play with a 15-11 loss at the hands of Sacred Heart this afternoon in Fairfield, Conn. The Colonials fall to 4-5 overall and 0-1 in the CAA, while Sacred Heart improves to 5-1 and 1-0 in conference action.
Senior Michael Fleming (Sarnia, Ontario / St. Christopher) led the offense with a goal and three assists. Senior Andrew Watt (Kitchener, Ontario / Grand River Collegiate) and junior Dan Kerch (Chesterfield, Mo. / DeSmet) netted a hat-trick each.
Freshman Corbyn Tao-Brambleby (Coquitlam, B.C. / Western Reserve Academy) scored a goal and added a helper.
Robert Morris got off to a quick start with a 3-2 lead in the first quarter. Kerch got the Colonials on the board at 13:43 followed by a tally from Fleming to stretch the score to 2-0 at 12:42. SHU answered though less than two minutes later with a score by Bobby Rushton, who led the Pioneers with four goals, to cut the lead to one.
RMU regained the advantage just 18 seconds later when Watt found the back of the cage off an assist from freshman Rob Marasti (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) at the 10:38 mark.
From that point, Sacred Heart looked as they were going to pull away with three consecutive goals within two minutes before sophomore Pat Smith (Westminster, Md. / Westminster) stopped the run with his ninth of the season at 3:55.
Both teams took the 4-4 score into the second quarter where Sacred Heart would resume their offensive flurry and get the cushion they were looking for. The Pioneers outscored the Colonials, 5-2, in the frame with Watt and Kerch nabbing goals for RMU to take a 9-6 deficit into halftime.
Out of the break, Sacred Heart clamped down on the visitors in the third quarter, holding them to just one goal. Freshman Trevor Moore (Port Coquitlam, B.C. / Western Reserve Academy) connected off a feed from junior Billy Conques (Fairfax, Va. / Paul VI) with 12 seconds to play.
Robert Morris battled to the end in the fourth with four scores to match the SHU's four. Falling behind, 13-7, Fleming found Watt for a man-up score at 7:22. Sacred Heart would wipe it away with a goal 17 seconds later, but a third goal by Kerch at 3:46 would bring RMU back into contention heading into the final minutes.
Sophomore Jordon Sealock (Airdrie, Alberta / George MacDougal) added a goal to make the score, 14-10, with three minutes left in the game. Sacred Heart cooled the Colonials comeback with some impressive defense by net-minder Ricardo Vargas, who finished with 12 saves, and a goal by Timmy Katz at 2:42 to make the score, 15-10.
Tao-Brambleby closed out the game with his 13th goal of the season thanks to an assist by Conques at 1:24.
Sophomore Sal Barcia (West Islip, N.Y. / West Islip) registered 11 saves in 59:30. Senior John Kennedy John Kennedy (Rockville Centre, N.Y. / South Side) stopped one shot in 30 seconds worth of work.
Despite the score, Robert Morris held the advantage in shots, 46-39, and tied the Pioneers in ground balls, 41-41.
Robert Morris returns home this weekend to host Towson on Saturday, March 29 at 1:00 p.m.
