A bid to take sole possession of first place in the Liberty League standings came up short for the Clarkson University Men’s Lacrosse team on Wednesday afternoon as St. Lawrence edged the Golden Knights 10-7 in a battle between the top two teams in the conference in a game played at Potsdam H.S.’s artificial turf field.
The Golden Knights, who saw their winning streak end at six games, suffered their first Liberty League loss of the season as the Saints shutdown the Green and Gold’s offense, holding Clarkson to its lowest goal total of the season.
Clarkson, which stands at 8-3 overall, with all three losses coming against Top 20 ranked teams, and 3-1 in the conference hosts Union College on Saturday at Potsdam H.S. If the Knights defeat Union or Skidmore on April 25 they will qualified for the Liberty league playoffs for the sixth straight year.
Ranked 18th in the latest USILA Division III Men's Lacrosse Coaches Poll, St. Lawrence improved to 8-2 overall and to 4-0 in the league by winning its seventh consecutive game.
In a close game throughout, the Saints led 3-2 after the opening 15 minutes and held a 5-3 advantage at the half. Clarkson senior attackman, Greg Gibbons (Baldwinsville, NY), who entered the contest as the league’s leading scorer overall, sandwiched his only goal of the day around two St. Lawrence scores midway through the third quarter as the visitors built a 7-4 advantage through 45 minutes of play.
Both teams connected for three goals apiece in the final stanza. Freshman Bryan Huff (Hillsborough, NJ) made the score 10-7 with 4:40 left with his team-high second goal of the day, but the Saints controlled the ball for the majority of the remainder of the contest to hold on for the victory.
Senior Tom Ross (Adams, NY), sophomore Tyler Long (Liverpool, NY) and freshmen Mike Ross (Adams, NY) and Matt Cyr (Cheshire, CT) rounded out the Clarkson goal scorers with one tally each. Gibbons and Tom Ross both set up one goal.
St. Lawrence’s Alex Slauson led all scorers with three goals and also added an assist. Peter Carroll also recorded four points for the Saints with two goals and two assists.
Clarkson held a slight edge in shots 33-31, but St. Lawrence goaltender Thomas Hollingsworth was a difference marker posting 13 saves, including several point-blank stops. Senior John Svoren (Hamburg, NY), the Liberty League Defensive Performer of the Week, also recorded double digits in saves with 10 for the Knights.
St. Lawrence controlled ground balls 36-26 as P.J. Santora led the way with a game-high 10. Santora dominated on faceoffs, winning 14 of 21 draws. Senior defenseman John Weinhold (Queensbury, NY) and freshman midfielder Andrew Liptak (Westfield, MA) led the Knights with four groundballs each.
