Box Score Rochester, N.Y. - (4/26/2014) – In the first half of today's East Coast Conference (ECC) contest, senior attack Michael Melnychenko (St. Catharines, Ontario) kept Chestnut Hill College a step ahead of Roberts Wesleyan College. In the second half he distanced the Griffins for late third quarter run that extended into the final frame and precipitated a 16-8 victory. Melnychenko closed the 2014 regular season with another eight-point performance, his second such performance in the last three contests, this time on four goals and four assists.
 
After an initial tally from senior midfielder Michael Landau (Lancaster, Pa.),  1-0, Chestnut Hill College (7-5, 5-3) went down 2-1 before Melnychenko ignited the Griffin offense for a three goal run to the end of the opening period, 4-2. But, Roberts Wesleyan College (6-9, 2-6) bookended a Melnychenko-Landau connection at 5:24, 5-3, with two goals from junior midfielder Nick Wolak (Brighton, N.Y.) bringing the halftime spread to one goal, 5-4. The Redhawks assumed the lead at the start of the second half with the first two goals of the third quarter, 6-5 (13:40), however effort was matched by junior midfielder Christopher Mertens (Freeport, N.Y.), who first fed sophomore attack Tanner Fisher (Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) at 12:23, 6-6, and then scored unassisted at 9:27, to put the Griffins back ahead 7-6. The Redhawks knotted the game at 7-7 a little more than a minute later (8:11) with third goal from freshman attack Matt Benedict (Victoria, B.C.), but that is when Melnychenko took over as he scored three times and assisted once in a seven-goal run that pushed the Griffins to a 14-7 advantage that eventually led to a eight-goal win, 16-8.
 
Benedict and Wolnak each scored three goals, but Wolnak was the top performer for the Redhawks with two assists and two ground balls in addition his tallies. Sophomore goalkeeper Steve Keefer (Buffalo, N.Y.) made 11 saves, recovered a ground ball, and caused a turnover in the loss (6-7).
 
Landau matched Melnychenko's goal-total, four goals, and added two ground balls to his scoring while Mertens and senior midfielder Mark Winkelspecht (Laurys Station, Pa.) also recorded four points; Mertens provided two goals and two assists as Winkelspecht scored one and supplied three assists. Senior goalkeeper Joseph Donnelly (Newtown Square, Pa.) totaled 12 saves on the win (7-5).
 
As the #4 seed in the upcoming ECC Championship Tournament, the men's lacrosse team will play their first postseason contest at Dowling College on Wednesday, April 30.