Box Score WORCESTER, Mass. – Despite a comeback push in the final two stanzas, the UMass Dartmouth men's lacrosse squad could not overcome a six-goal second quarter by Clark on Saturday, opening the 2016 season with a 13-11 loss at Granger Field.
Corsair senior Bo Prozinski (Ashland, Mass.) began his season on an offensive high note, registering four goals on eight shots on the afternoon. Classmates Steve Merrick (Methuen, Mass.) and Andrew Johnson (Hopkinton, Mass.) added two goals apiece as Johnson also assisted on a score from sophomore DJ Miller (Ashland, Mass.). Completing the scoring column for UMass Dartmouth was senior Zach Drolette (Burlington, Vt.) and junior Anthony Gallo (Bridgewater, Mass.)
The Cougars saw six register on the board, including four goals from junior Isaac Bass (Amherst, Mass.) and three from senior Rob Holden (East Longmeadow, Mass.). Junior Nick Johnson (Amherst, Mass.) led all players on the day with four assists while also netting two scores. The hosts outshot the visitors 52-34 on the contest.
UMass Dartmouth came out of the gate firing, taking a 4-1 lead to end the first quarter. Johnson registered the first goal of the 2016 season less than a minute in on an assist from classmate Alex Lucas (Brookfield, Mass.). Bass tied the contest three minutes later, but Prozinski, Merrick and Gallo rattled off the next three scores to give the Corsairs a comfortable advantage.
Clark then turned up the heat in the second. Bass scored again to cut the deficit in half, but Merrick put the visitors back up three at 13:28. The next four markers all came from the Cougars, with Bass seizing a 6-5 lead at 2:54. Johnson evened the game at 6 seconds later, until Clark responded immediately to clinch a narrow 7-6 margin at halftime.
To begin the third quarter, the Courgar scoring frenzy continued, opening with a man-up score from Bass. Holden registered the next two scores to give the hosts a 10-6 lead, the largest of the game thus far, but Drolette and Prozinski each got on the board in the closing three minutes of the stanza to bring UMass Dartmouth back within two.
The Cougar lead held in the fourth, despite three-straight scores from the Corsairs over a minute and a half including a Miller man-up tally. Prozinski put the visitors within one score with three minutes remaining, but Clark's Will Mandracchia (Melrose, Mass.) converted on a man-up opportunity at 2:05 to shut the door.
Juniors Matt LaFond (Bridgewater, Mass.) and Scott Spangenberg (Dover, Mass.) split time in net for the Corsairs, with Lafond making seven saves and Spangenberg four. For Clark, junior Drew Riopelle-Tyrrell (Northville, Mich.) turned aside 11 shots.
UMass Dartmouth will seek its first win of the year in its home opener on Saturday, March 5 against Norwich at 1 p.m.
