Boston, Mass. – The Albertus Magnus College men's lacrosse team ended the 2016 regular season with a 14-6 setback versus Emmanuel in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action on Saturday afternoon at Clemente Field.
With the loss, the Falcons close out the year with a 4-10 overall record and a 1-7 mark in conference play. The host Saints enter the post-season as the top-seed in the GNAC Tournament thanks to going 9-8 on the year and 8-0 in league contests.
Sophomores Paul Mirmina (Milford, Conn.) and Brennan Moore (Meriden, Conn.) paced the AMC attack with a goal and an assist apiece. Freshman long-stick middy Dom Moscato (West Haven, Conn.) and junior attack Greg Buck (Berlin, Conn.) also found the back of the net for the guests.
In the face-off circle, Albertus Magnus junior Justin Bennet (Fairfield, Conn.) went 8-of-19 with a team-best four ground balls. On the opposite side, Michael Sousa won eight face-offs and Tony Marcella won five for the hosts.
Defensively, senior Adam Earl (Hamden, Conn.) and Moscato led the way for the Falcons with two caused turnovers each.
It was all Emmanuel from the opening minutes of play, as senior captain Chris Curtis (Ashland, Mass.) opened the scoring exactly 100 seconds into the game with his 38th goal of the year. Curtis began the scoring in what would be an eight-goal run to lead after 15 minutes.
After freshman Matt Katon (East Falmouth, Mass.) scored to double the lead, Curtis added two more goals in a span of 22 seconds to extend the EC edge to 4-0. The Saints finished the quarter with four more goals in the final five minutes, as junior Tony Cibelli (Westboro, Mass.) tallied a pair and junior Donnie Litzelman (Stratham, N.H.) and senior Michael Donovan (Assonet, Mass.) also found the back of the net. Donovan and Curtis earned assists in the frame as well.
Junior Sean Reilly's (Deer Park, N.Y.) unassisted goal continued the run and Cibelli set up Donovan's second marker to give the Saints an even ten-goal lead before Albertus got on the board.
Moore took a feed from Mirmina to end the scoring drought for the Falcons, but EC sophomore Charlie Moran (Maitland, Fla.) answered with a goal four minutes later off of a feed from Litzelman to give Emmanuel an 11-1 edge heading into halftime.
The third quarter was centered around defense, as the teams only mustered one goal each in the frame. Moscato scored an unassisted man-up goal for the visitors and senior C.J. Galdorisi (Northport, N.Y.) set up freshman Will Petraglia (Wexford, Pa.) for the only Emmanuel goal of the quarter. Moscato's marker was the first of his collegiate career.
The Falcons found their scoring touch in the fourth quarter, putting four goals up on the board compared to just two for the Saints. During the stanza, defensemen Jon Gravius (Howell, N.J.) and Earl got in on the scoring as well for the visitors.
In the cage, sophomore Jack Kerner (Merrick, N.Y.) turned aside 12 shots in a losing effort for Albertus Magnus. In relief of Kerner, freshman John Brunetti (West Haven, Conn.) made two saves.
For the latest information on the men's lacrosse team and Albertus Magnus athletics, follow AMCAthletics on Twitter and visit AlbertusFalcons.com.
