| 4/27/2008 5:19:44 PM
Click Here For Box Score
ITHACA, NY -- The RIT men's lacrosse team was defeated by Ithaca College 12-9 in the Empire 8 Men's Lacrosse Championship title game on Sunday afternoon. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Tigers who drop to 10-7 on the season. The win earns Ithaca the automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
The Tigers outshot the Bombers 48-40 but Ithaca goalie, Ben Connery was outstanding, making 26 saves earning Tournament MVP honors. RIT went 3-for-6 with the man-advantage and won 14-of-24 face-offs but lost the ground ball battle, 36-27.
Wes Adam (Lafayette, NY/Lafayette) (Lafayette, NY) led RIT's offense, tallying four goals on the day.
Andrew Ruocco (Corning, NY/Corning East) (Corning, NY/Corning East) had two goals and three assists, while
Iric Bressler (Stafford, VA/North Stafford) (Stafford, VA/N. Stafford) had a pair of tallies.
The Tigers trailed 4-2 after one quarter despite getting the opening tally of the game. Ruocco took a feed from
Dan Rago (Geneva, NY) and ripped a shot that hit the back of the net, giving RIT a 1-0 lead.
After a pair of Bombers goals made it 2-1 Ruocco struck again, this time on an assist from
Adam Vlassis (Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa) (Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa), tying the score at 2-2.
Ithaca tallied the last two goals of the quarter, giving them a 4-2 lead.
RIT cut Ithaca's lead to 4-3 on a man-up goal from Bressler at the 13:15 mark of the second quarter. Ruocco had the assist on the play for the Tigers.
The Bombers responded and ripped off two straight goals, giving them a 6-3 lead midway through the quarter.
The Tigers answered back with consecutive goals from Adam, cutting Ithaca's lead to 6-5 with 7:10 remaining in the half.
Adam struck two more times late in the half, including a ripper that found the top left corner, tying the game at 7-7 with 34 seconds remaining in the half.
Ithaca's Craig Lepiane scored a somewhat controversial goal as the buzzer sounded to end the half. The officials agreed the let the goal stand, giving Ithaca an 8-7 lead at the half.
Ithaca kept the momentum going into the third quarter, scoring three times while not allowing RIT a goal. The Bombers led 11-7 heading into the fourth quarter.
Rago's goal early in the fourth cut Ithaca's lead to 11-8 but the Tigers could not capitalize on the momentum, committing turnovers at costly times.
Kevin Bush made it 12-8 with a man-up goal with under 10 minutes remaining in the game.
Bressler tallied a late goal for the Tigers, but it was too little too late as Ithaca went on to victory.
Brad Conlon (Ottawa, ON/Bridgton Academy) (Ottawa, ON/Bridgton Academy) took the loss for RIT, who will await their post-season fate, took the loss for RIT, making 10 saves.
