UB Men's Lax Battles But Falls Just Short To St. Thomas Aquinas, 13-11, In Inaugural Home Opener

Bridgeport Conn.-For the first time ever on campus, the University of Bridgeport played a varsity men's lacrosse game on Sunday afternoon, and the Purple Knights battled to the end with the visiting St. Thomas Aquinas College Spartans before falling 13-11.  UB is now 1-2 on the young season, and STAC moves to 2-1.

The Purple Knights got off to a good start on Sunday racing out to a 5-3 lead late in the first quarter before the visitors scored five of the next seven goals to take an 8-7 lead at the halftime break.

UB outscored St. Thomas Aquinas 3-2 in the third quarter to send the contest into its final stanza knotted at 10-10, but the Spartans scored the first two goals of the four quarter to take a 12-10 lead which they never relinquished.

UB senior Nick Whelan (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) and sophomore Tyne Hewlette (Bayshore, N.Y.) each had four-point afternoons firing home three goals with an assist.

Freshman Darien Fray (Uniondale, N.Y.) recorded back-to-back hat tricks scoring three goals on Sunday to match his total from Wednesday at Franklin Pierce.

Junior Dewey Schoenfelder (Mt. Airy, Md.) and freshman James Napoli (Wantagh, N.Y.) had the other goals for the Purple Knights, and sophomore Noah Beard (Mint Hill, N.C.) dished off three assists on the afternoon.

Freshman Connor Cullen (Levittown, N.Y.) led UB with seven ground balls, and he also won 10 face offs.

Junior goalkeeper Peter Nazario (Farmingdale, N.Y.) made eight saves on the day in the Bridgeport net.

Up next, the UB men's lacrosse team continues its inaugural season on Wednesday afternoon with a trip to Worcester, Massachusetts to face Assumption University.  Game time is set for 4:00 p.m.  UB will return to Knights Field on Saturday for a 12 noon game with Molloy.

PHOTO BY CLARUS MULTIMEDIA