FAIRFIELD, CT - MAAC Tournament MVP Joe O'Donnell netted three goals, Randy McNeill scored four goals and Rob Herzog added five assists and a goal of his own to lead St. Joseph's to a 17-7 win over Manhattan, earning the first-ever MAAC Men's Lacrosse Tournament Championship earlier today at Fairfield University's University Field. Ironically, men's lacrosse, one of the newest sports to be added to the varsity stable at SJU, becomes the first to win a conference title in the New Millennium. The Hawks' first varisty season was in 1993 and eight years later the team is on top of the MAAC, ending their record-breaking year with a best-ever 12-4 record. The MAAC Lacrosse League has been in existence since 1996 but this was its inaugural postseason tournament. Herzog and McNeil were also named to the All-Tournament team as was teammate Nick Leopard, who turned back 13 shots from the Hawks' goal. Manhattan opened the scoring with a goal by Ryan Wheeler at the 6:09 mark of the first quarter. St. Joseph's, however, netted eight of the next nine goals to build a comfortable advantage. McNeill and Corey Comen each netted two goals during that stretch. Herzog posted two of his assists during the stretch. Wheeler, who netted three goals in the championship game, also earned a spot on the All-Tourney team. Manhattan closed the score to 10-5 at the 10:51 mark of the third quarter on the first of two Wayne Sitar goals. St. Joseph's netted six of the next seven goals to put the game out of reach. Chris Spay found the net three times for the Hawks as well. Rounding-out the All-Tournament team were Marist's Paul Donohue, Mount St. Mary's Kevin Carroll and the Manhattan trio of Ken Rose, Jason Sanders and James Amandola. Amandola, made 15 saves in the championship game.