The St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Lacrosse team dropped a 15-4 decision to the LIU Post Pioneers on Wednesday afternoon in the team's 2019 home opener at Spartan Field.
Tyler Senatore lit the lamp twice for the Spartans, while Kevin Alvora and Anthony Irizarry tallied a goal apiece. Ryan Mello got the start between the pipes for STAC and made 22 saves on the day.
In the first quarter the Pioneers got out to a quick 3-0 lead on goals by William Snelders, Jake Gillis and Nick Grassa, before Tyler Senatore was able to pick up his first of the afternoon, cutting into the lead and making it 3-1. Grassa was quickly able to restore the three goal lead for LIU Post with 5:31 remaining in the opening frame and close the scoring out in favor of visitors at 4-1.
A five goal outburst by LIU Post highlighted the second quarter of play. Thomas Liantonio, Grassa (2), Connor Farrell and Snelders gave the Pioneers a commanding 9-1 lead. However, the Spartans avoided being shutout in the stanza, as Senatore tallied his second of the game just before the teams headed to their respective sidelines for halftime with the scoreboard reading 9-2.
Third quarter action saw the visitors in green and gold score three more times, with Steve Frank getting his first of the contest and Gillis picking up two more goals on the day to push the score to 12-2. Unfortunately, the Spartan offense would be stymied in the quarter and the 10 goal LIU Post advantage would remain at the end of three.
The final quarter of play was a seesaw scoring affair, as both teams traded goals with Frank Ranfone, Grassa and Brad Beck all tallying for LIU Post, while Anthony Irizarry and Kevin Alvora knotted a goal apiece for STAC to close out the scoring on the day. At the final horn, the Pioneers picked up the 15-4 victory.
STAC goalie Ryan Mello (L, 1-1) 60:00, patrolled the Spartan cage, while Bryan Ochs (W, 4-1) 60:00, saw time in the Pioneers cage, picking up 8 saves.
LIU Post held a sizable 55-18 shots advantage for the game.
St. Thomas Aquinas (1-1) heads to South Jersey on Saturday, March 16 for an 11am match-up with the Georgian Court University Lions.