Feb. 26, 2013

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Leading 4-2 late in the second period, the Hawks fell to a 4-1 run as the men's lacrosse team dropped a 6-5 heartbreaker to #14 Penn on Tuesday evening at Franklin Field. With the loss, the Hawks even their record to 2-2 on the season.

Trailing 5-4 early in the fourth period, junior midfielder Johnny Simanski netted his second goal of the game at the 12:09 mark to equalize the score at five apiece.

Both sides would play tremendous defense over the next eight minutes, but Penn's Will Laco found the back of the net with 3:33 remaining in regulation to cap the victory for the Quakers.

Saint Joseph's struck first as sophomore attack Matthew Franchak scored the first goal of the game just 1:27 into the first period.

Penn (2-0) would record back-to-back goals to pull ahead 2-1, but freshman Pat Swanick registered back-to-back goals of his own toward the end of the first period and the start of the second (4:42, 10:45) to bring the Hawks back ahead, 3-2.

Simanski scored the first of his two goals at the 7:70 mark of the second period, assisted by sophomore attack Michael Dougherty.

Sophomore goalkeeper Dustin Keen (2-2) made eight saves in 14 attempts in a full-game effort for Saint Joseph's.

The Quakers outshot the Hawks 41-24 and held a 27-15 advantage in ground balls. Junior midfielder Will Abbott had a strong outing at the faceoff, going 7-15 (.467) for the game.

Saint Joseph's will return home this Saturday, March 2, to host Wagner at Finnesey Field. Game time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. The Hawks are 12-0 all-time against the Seahawks, with their last win coming in the form of a 6-5 victory on March 3, 2012. Dougherty and fellow sophomore Josh Cavanaugh combined for three of SJU's six goals in the win.

Game Notes: With his goal at the 13:33 mark, Franchak extends his goal-scoring streak to three games... Recording the first multi-goal game of his career, Swanick also extends his goal-scoring streak to three games... With his assist on Simanski's first goal, Dougherty extends his point streak to three games.