PHILADELPHIA – An outstanding overall team effort led the Saint Joseph's men's lacrosse team to a 14-7 win over Bryant in Northeast Conference action on Sweeney Field on Saturday afternoon. With their seventh straight victory, the Hawks improve to 7-3 overall and an undefeated 4-0 in the NEC while the Bulldogs fall to 6-6 overall and suffer their first loss in NEC play (4-1).

Their fourth league wins also clinches a 2018 NEC Tournament spot for the Crimson and Gray. The tournament will run on May 3 and May 5 at the site of the regular-season champion.

"I couldn't be more proud of our team today," said head coach Taylor Wray following the win in front of a packed Sweeney Field. "That was a team victory. I don't think our offense could have played a whole lot better. We got toughness plays in the middle of the field. Our guys scrapped incredibly hard to win the ground ball battles and just make the plays. That's a really tough, well-coached, good team that we just beat. I give all of the credit to the guys in our locker room. They are a very close team and they played like one today."

Graduate student attackman Mike Rastivo scored a game-high four goals, his third of which broke the Saint Joseph's all-time scoring record, which previously stood at 120 (Randy McNeill '01). Rastivo now owns 122 with three regular-season games plus a minimum of one postseason game remaining in his collegiate career.

Senior linemate Chris Blewitt turned in a game-high six points (3g, 3a), in addition to two ground balls and two caused turnovers, as the co-captains combined for half of SJU's goals scored on the afternoon while rookie attackman Shane Fable and senior short stick defensive midfielder Davis Stoner hit the back of the net twice each, Stoner's both in transition, and senior midfielder Kyle Cain went for one goal and three helpers.

Graduate student Will McNamara played a phenomenal game in the midfield, earning a team-high four ground balls at clutch moments for the Crimson and Gray.

Sophomore defenseman Tyler Makar added three ground balls while senior defenseman Brendan McNicholas went for two ground balls and two caused turnovers.

Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Mike Adler was brilliant between the pipes, making 11 saves vs. seven goals allowed in 59:03.

The Hawks jumped out to a 4-2 edge by the end of the first quarter with goals from Blewitt (13:02), freshman face-off specialist Tyler Green (first collegiate goal, 11:31), senior midfielder Hayes McGinley (EMO, 5:43), and Rastivo (0:36).

Bryant's Marc O'Rourke scored at the 13:24 mark of the second quarter to bring the Bulldogs to within one, 4-3, but the Hawks then tore off on an 8-1 run that spanned the final 12:27 of the second quarter and the first 8:06 of the third quarter to own a 12-4 advantage entering the final 6:54 of the third.

Adler opened the run on an outlet pass to Stoner, who took the ball all the way down field and scored at the 12:27 mark of the second quarter. Cain (11:33) netted an unassisted score before Blewitt found Rastivo (7:15) to put the Hawks up by four, 7-3. Stoner closed out the half with his second of the day with three ticks remaining on the scoreboard.

Fable opened the third quarter with a score just 34 seconds in and, with the then Hawks leading 9-3, Cain made a drive toward the goal from the left side and hit Rastivo, on the right side, with a perfect pass; Rastivo fired off his SJU record-breaking 121st career goal to give the Hawks their 10th for the game at the 12:35 mark of the third.

The Bulldogs scored three of the quarter's final five goals to close their deficit to six, 12-6, entering the final 15:00.

Bryant scored again to open the fourth quarter and to bring the Bulldogs to within five, but the Hawks' defensive unit held off any further attempts from Bryant's offense, and co-captains Blewitt (3:06) and Rastivo (0:57), on a feed from Blewitt, closed the game in favor of the Hawks.

Bryant face-off specialist Kenny Massa went a dominant 17-of-24 from the X, but the Hawks were strong in forcing Bulldog turnovers and capitalizing on their possessions, scoring four times apiece in the first, second, and third quarters.

Saint Joseph's heads to Penn for non-conference action this Tuesday, April 17. Opening face-off across Philadelphia at Franklin Field is set for 7:00 p.m.

Sideline Photos, LLC's shots from today's game are available for sale at Photoshelter.com.