Dowling College

Box Score
BROOKVILLE, N.Y.-  The top seeded Dowling College men’s lacrosse team came up on the short end of a 10-9 finish in the first ever East Coast Conference lacrosse championship to host LIU Post this afternoon at Hickox Field. 
 
The Pioneers (9-5) opened the scoring just over five minutes into play on an unassisted goal from Matty Beccaris.  LIU’s Ryan Slane recorded the only other goal of the first quarter with two minutes on the clock for a 2-0 lead entering the second quarter.
 
The Golden Lions (12-4) grabbed their only lead of the day on a 4-0 run to bookended by goals from senior Matt Crough to start the second frame.  A score from LIU’s Connor Drost with 2:28 on the clock sent the team into the break with DC leading 4-3.
 
The third quarter began with three unanswered goals from the Pioneers to regain the lead 6-4.  Dowling’s Sheldon Burns caused a turnover on the defensive and at the 7:54 mark allowed for senior Kevin McElhone‘s goal putting the Golden Lions back within one, 6-5.  Less than two minutes later, an LIU turnover resulted in a scoring opportunity for sophomore Brian White to knot the game a 6.  The Pioneers ended the quarter with back-to-back goals from Drost and Dom Mantovani sent the Golden Lions into the final frame trailing 8-6. 
 
Both teams traded goals throughout the fourth quarter, but LIU’s Beccaris’ second goal of the day with just over two minute left in the game broke a 9-9 tie and lifted the Pioneers to the 10-9 win.
 
Crough finished with a team high three goals on the day with six different Golden Lions providing single goals.  Burns led the defense with six groudballs and four caused turnovers.  Sophomore Michael Fitzpatrick was 11 of 22 from the face-off X and scooped up eight groundballs.  Goalkeeper Frank Sommers tallied 12 saves between the pipes. 
 
Head Coach Tim Boyle and the Golden Lions now await word on a potential bid to the 2014 NCAA Division II Championship. The selection show will be aired Sunday (May 4) at 7:30 p.m. on NCAA.com.