LOUDONVILLE, NY – The Manhattan Jaspers Men's Lacrosse team (2-6, 0-2 MAAC) was upended by the Saints of Siena University (6-2, 2-0 MAAC) inside Hickey Field on Saturday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Coming off a crushing fall against the Gaels last weekend, the Jaspers were poised to get off and running in the Capital Region as conference play rolls on.
- Just 30 seconds into the game, the Saints got on the board and found the back of the net beyond the reach of goalie Ryan Beller.
- Trailing by as much as four midway through the first, the Jaspers found some rhythm with Nick Henry scooping up a ground ball after they were able to clear. It was Connor Engel who opened the scoring up for the Green and White to crunch the deficit back to three.
- After the Saints responded, the Jaspers took advantage of a Siena miscue on the man-advantage, where it was Liam Peabody who found Engel in front to score the team's second of the day.
- Midway into the second quarter, and the Jaspers trailing by as much as six, another Siena miscue allowed Sean Shelko to add to his goal tally and post the team's third.
- The Jaspers put pressure on the Saints with four different attempts in a two-minute sequence, capitalizing with Engel's third of the day.
- Resiliency continued reigning supreme for the Green and White, after Engel, who caused Siena to turn the ball over, found Shelko for his second of the day and narrowed the deficit to as little as three, for the second time.
- In the third quarter, the Saints doubled up the Jaspers before Peabody posted his lone goal of the afternoon for the team's sixth.
- Siena took control of the remainder of the game, but the final five minutes became all Jaspers, with three goals in three minutes from Engel, Shelko, and Bales. The former two came on man-up advantages, but were ultimately not enough.
STATS AND NOTES
- Junior attack Connor Engel paced the Green and White with four goals on six shots, with four on target. The Jaspers scooped up four ground balls while causing a team-high three turnovers.
- Redshirt junior attack Sean Shelko posted three goals on six shots, with four on target, while picking up four ground balls.
- Redshirt sophomore midfielder Alex Bales made his season debut and made his presence known with one goal on three shots on target, and grabbed one ground ball.
- Midfielder Liam Peabody logged a goal and a team-high two assists on three shots on target, while scooping up two ground balls in the effort.
- Redshirt sophomore goalie Ryan Beller posted 11 saves, with five coming in the first quarter for the Jaspers.
- The Green and White capitalized on three extra-man opportunities in four tries.
NEXT UP:
Manhattan returns to action on Wednesday, March 25, when the Jaspers return home to face the Pioneers of Sacred Heart University from inside Gaelic Park, beginning at 4 p.m. The contest can be viewed on ESPN+ with a paid subscription.
Follow Manhattan Jaspers' Men's Lacrosse on X (@ManhattanMLAX) and Instagram (@ManhattanLax)
