Brookville, NY – (2/26/2011) – The men's lacrosse team opened their 2011 East Coast Conference (ECC) schedule with a trip to C.W. Post University to challenge the defending national champions in some late morning competition. The Griffins controlled an early first quarter lead, but the Pioneers outscored the Griffins 7-1 in the middle frames to capture a 13-7 win. Freshman attack Mike Melnychenko (St. Catherines, Ontario) scored three goals and hustled to three ground balls as the Griffins top performer.
C.W. Post (4-0, 1-0) struck first, scoring the first goal of the contest just a minute (1:06) after the opening faceoff. Chestnut Hill College (1-1, 0-1) responded quickly with back-to-back scores from sophomore midfielder Mark Winkelspecht (Laurys Station, PA) and freshman midfielder Mike Landau (Lancaster, PA). The goals came with a minute of each other leaving the Griffins to a 2-1 lead (11:19). Unfortunately, the advantage was short-lived as two more Pioneers tallies put the home team up 4-3 at the end of the first quarter; and with a 5-1 run in the second quarter the deficit reached 9-4 by halftime. The margin expanded to 11-4 after three quarters before the Griffins regrouped in the fourth quarter, slowing the Pioneers to a 13-7 final.
Junior attack Eddie Plompen (West Islip, NY) paced the Pioneers with six goals and one assist while senior midfielder Ronnie Irving (Glen Head, NY) helped keep possession, winning 12-of-14 (85.7%) faceoffs and recovering six ground balls. Senior goalie Mike Giordano (Farmingdale, NY) made seven saves in the victory (4-0).
Melnychenko scored twice in the first half and once in the second, but even with two scores from Landau and 16 saves from sophomore goalie Dakota Maurer (Lititz, PA) the Griffins could not keep up. Winkelspecht and freshman midfielder Kevin Sonderschafer (Warrington, PA) each scored a goal; Winkelspecht hustled to six ground balls. Sophomore Joe Rucinsky (Camp Hill, PA) led the defensive effort with three caused turnovers and Maurer fell to 1-1 in the defeat.
The men's lacrosse team returns to campus to host Mercy College in their home opener on Saturday, March 5. The ECC affair is schedule for a 1:00 p.m. opening faceoff.
