Dragons Fall in CAA Opener to Fairfield, 7-4

Saturday, March 28

Vidas Field

4:00

Drexel University

Fairfield

Photo by: Ryan Samson

3/28/2015 5:52:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

Philadelphia, Pa. – Fairfield's Tyler Boehring made 16 saves, including nine in the second half, as Fairfield defeated Drexel, 7-4, in the Colonial Athletic Association opener for both teams. The Stags scored the first two goals of the fourth quarter to take a three-goal lead and scored an insurance goal in the final seconds as they improved to 6-4 on the season.

With Fairfield ahead by just a goal entering the final period, Drew Federico drove the cage and beat Jimmy Joe Granito from the side of the crease. The Stags' defense held Drexel off the board for almost the entire fourth quarter. Fairfield increased the lead to 6-3 on a Charlie Schneider goal with 3:09 to play. The Dragons' Frank Fusco finally broke a Drexel scoring drought that lasted for more than 18 minutes at the 1:19 mark. Drexel was able to get the ball back but turned it over. That would be their final chance as Colin McLinden put the finishing touches on the Fairfield win with a goal with just five ticks left on the clock.

Fairfield took a two-goal advantage just 87 seconds into the second half when Drew Federico set up Neubauer for his first goal of the contest. The Dragons tried to get some of the momentum back when Ryan Belka took a feed from Chris Frederick out in front and fired a shot past Boehring. Neubauer and Belka then exchanged goals once again as the Stags held a 4-3 lead after three quarters.

The Stags got on the board in the opening minutes as Tristan Sperry scored an unassisted goal just 1:11 into the game. Fairfield applied the pressure early, taking six of the game's first seven shots, but not converting any of its chances. The 1-0 score stood until the early minutes of the second quarter. The Dragons evened the score when Jules Raucci fired a shot into the top left corner, making it a 1-1 game. Fairfield answered late in the quarter to take a 2-1 lead into intermission. Neubauer fed Schnider, who beat the Drexel keeper to give the Stags the lead for good.

Drexel outshot the Stags, 35-23, but most of the shots came from a distance as the Fairfield zone didn't allow many opportunities from in close. Belka was the only Dragon with more than a goal. The senior is now tied for 14^th on Drexel's all-time list for career goals with 86. Federico, Neubauer and Sperry each had three points for Fairfield. Both teams played well defensively throughout the game. Fairfield was forced into committed 23 turnovers, while the Stags' defense made Drexel turn it over 17 times. Miles Thomas had a big game for Drexel on the defensive end, causing five turnovers and picking up six ground balls.

Drexel returns to conference play on Saturday when the Dragons visit Hofstra.