Box Score Lafayette Hill, Pa. - (3/31/2015) – Reversing a trend of second-half struggles, the Chestnut Hill College men's lacrosse team finished with a flourish this afternoon, dominating the fourth quarter to upset #12 Mercy College, 10-8, in East Coast Conference (ECC) action. Junior attack Tanner Fisher (Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) scored all three of his goals in the last eight-plus minutes and senior attack Francisco Barone (Cape May Courthouse, N.J.) recorded a personal-best three points in his first career start for the Griffins, who put an emphatic halt to a five-game skid with a five-goal run of answered goals in the final frame.
 
Testing its mettle against a fifth nationally ranked foe in six contests – and the sixth overall this season – Chestnut Hill College (3-6, 1-4) showed no ill effects from a lengthy losing streak, jumping in front 2-0 on first-quarter tallies from sophomore attack Alec Dambach (Howell, N.J.) and classmate Justin Albarran (Freehold, N.J.), 2-0 (6:55). Mercy College (7-2, 2-1) wrested back control, with unassisted markers by senior attack Jesse Wood (Binghamton, N.Y.) bookending a 5-1 burst and giving the Mavericks a two-goal cushion with 5:12 left in the half.
 
The teams traded a pair of goals after that, as senior midfielder Christopher Mertens (Freeport, N.Y.) and Barone lit up the scoreboard for the Griffins, who trailed 7-5 after a strike by sophomore midfielder Nick Wilcox (Hamburg, N.Y.) (3:12). Once the fourth period began, it was all Chestnut Hill College. The Griffins embarked on an electrifying scoring spree, starting with a connection between junior attack Michael Plaia (Hicksville, N.Y.) and freshman attack Dylan Klusaritz (Slatington, Pa.), 7-6 (13:51). Dambach knotted the spread with 10:29 to play before Fisher put his stamp on the game, going on a personal three-goal run as the hosts pulled away. He gave Chestnut Hill College the lead for good on a man-up tally from Plaia, 8-7 (8:08), then netted two more goals (the first with the help of Barone) to render a late marker by Wood (0:20) moot, 10-8.
 
Wood collected three goals and an assist for Mercy College, which fell short despite a dominant face-off effort from graduate midfielder Kevin Glueckert (19-of-22, 86.4%). Wilcox and junior midfielder Robert Rossi (North Massapequa, N.Y.) finished with a goal and an assist each, while freshman goalkeeper Michael Schneider (West Babylon, N.Y.) had one save in each period and was tagged with his first loss (5-1).
 
Fisher was the closer, but he had plenty of help in posting his third career hat-trick. Barone, making his first-ever collegiate start, assisted on Dambach's opening tally en route to a three-point afternoon that also came with two ground balls. Plaia was the trigger man for the Griffins, letting fly with a game-high 11 shots, one of which found the back of the net. He also handed out a pair of assists and grabbed four ground balls. Dambach (two goals) and Klusaritz (goal, assist) produced two points apiece, while sophomore midfielder Dylan Klusaritz (Little Silver, N.J.) scooped up four ground balls and caused three turnovers, helping Chestnut Hill College to a 15-8 advantage in that category. The Griffins were also a perfect 15-of-15 on clears and got a stellar performance in net from sophomore Thomas McDermott (Holmes, Pa.), who denied several golden opportunities by the Mavericks to prevent a late rally; he recorded eight saves for his third win of the season (3-6).
 
The victory was the Griffins' fourth in a row over Mercy College, and marked the fifth straight season in which they have defeated a nationally ranked opponent.
 
The men's lacrosse team will try to make up more ground in the ECC standings with a home date against Dominican College, slated for 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 7, back in the Plymouth Whitemarsh High School football stadium.