ROCHESTER, NY – The second-rank RIT men’s lacrosse team was held scoreless for 41 minutes and lost their first game of the season, 10-6 to #11 Ithaca College (11-2, 4-0 E8). The six goals scored by RIT was the lowest goal output by the Tigers this season.

 

RIT looked to be in good shape early in the first quarter. Scott Farress (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder) (Webster, NY) and Andy Ruocco (Corning, NY/Corning East) (Corning, NY/Corning East) gave the Tigers a quick 2-0 lead inside the first minutes. The Bombers responded with four straight goals, taking a 3-2 lead on a Matt Nelligan’s tally.

Farress and Wes Adam (Lafayette, NY) scored a pair of goals late in the first quarter, tying the score at 4-4.

RIT was shut out in the second quarter and trailed 6-4 at the half. Ithaca tallied twice in the second quarter on six shots. Dennis Butler stopped all eight shots he faced in the second quarter and finished the half with 13 saves.

The scoreless streak continued in the third quarter for RIT. The Tigers mustered very little offense, firing just six shots in the quarter.

Ithaca capitalized on their opportunities, tallying three goals in the third quarter to take a 9-4 lead.

Eric Pritchard (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder)’s (Webster, NY) goal with 5:45 to play in the fourth broke the scoreless run by RIT and pulled the Tigers to within five goals at 10-5. He added another goal with just over four minutes to play but it was too little too late for RIT.

John Foley (Arthur, ON/Our Lady of Lourdes) (Arthur, ON/Our Lady of Lourdes) turned in one of his better performances of the season despite dropping his first game of the season. The senior goalie made 15 saves, some from point-blank range.

Dennis Butler was fabulous in net for Ithaca, stopping 19 shots and holding the highest scoring team in the Empire 8 to six goals.

RIT will host arch rival Nazareth College on Saturday afternoon at 1 pm on RIT Field.