Men's Lacrosse | 3/10/2010 7:22:10 PM

Click for Box Score

SCRANTON, PA -- The RIT (1-2) men's lacrosse team picked up their first win of the season on Wednesday, defeating the University of Scranton (2-1) 12-8. The Tigers exploded for five goals in the second period to erase a 2-1 first-period deficit and scored five consecutive goals to break away from a 6-6 tie in the third period.

Senior Sean Gillies (Oakville, Ontario/Albany Academy) led RIT with four goals. Kelso Davis (Freeport, ME/Deerfield Academy) had three tallies, and David Burke (Fairport, NY/Fairport) and Iric Bressler (Stafford, VA/North Stafford) combined for two goals and five assists.

RIT out shot the Royals 47-46 and won the ground ball battle 49-45. The Tigers scored on both their man-up chances and cleared the ball 17-of-19 times. RIT's defense held Scranton to just two goals in nine man-up opportunities, including six in the second half.

Senior Jerry Ragonese (Berkeley Heights, NJ/Governor Livingston) won 13-of-24 face-offs for the Tigers. He also had a team-high eight ground balls. Robert Tonnessen (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) picked up the win in net for RIT. He allowed eight goals and made eight saves.

Scranton extended its early lead to 3-1 before the Tigers ripped off five unanswered goals—including two by Davis and one each by junior midfielders Jordan MacIntosh (Oakville, ON/Holy Trinity) and Christopher Cherami (Olwick, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) and another by Giles to build up a 6-3 lead.

The Royals ended an 11-minute scoring draught on a goal by sophomore attacker Daniel Slade with 3:26 remaining as Scranton cut the margin to 6-4 by intermission.

Scranton appeared to have the momentum in its favor scoring two goals within 36 seconds of each other early in the third period, but Ragonese then put the Tigers ahead for good by winning the face-off and setting up Gilles' goal just seven seconds later. Gillies then sandwiched a pair of goals around one apiece by Davis and Burke as the Tigers opened up an 11-6 lead midway through the fourth period.

The Tigers look to build on Wednesday's momentum on Saturday, March 13 when they host Keuka College at 1 pm on RIT's Turf Field.