CIBELLI & ROSENBERG PROPEL MEN’S LACROSSE PAST KEAN, 9-8

BOSTON, Mass. – Senior attack Tony Cibelli (Westboro, Mass.) scored four goals and junior goalie Austin Rosenberg (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) made 18 saves to propel Emmanuel College past Kean University, 9-8, Saturday afternoon in non-conference Men's Lacrosse action at Roberto Clemente Field. The win was the first of the 2017 campaign for the Saints who now stand at 1-1 on the year while the loss drops the Cougars to 0-1.

After trading goals in the first quarter to a 3-3 score, Kean senior middie Brian Mills (Vernon, N.J.) put the visitors on top 4-3 with his first goal of the season 2:05 into the second quarter. Emmanuel responded with four unanswered goals to close out the half to take a 7-4 lead. Sophomore Cullen Sweeney (Scituate, Mass.) got the flurry started with his first goal of the year to even the score at 4-4 before sophomore Ben Hartig-Orr (Reading, Vt.) scored his first collegiate goal to put the Saints on top for good, making it 5-4 with a man-up marker with 5:44 to play in the half. Just 23 seconds later, Cibelli scored his second goal of the afternoon to bump the lead to 6-4 before senior attack Donnie Litzelman (Stratham, N.H.) capped the quarter's scoring with his second goal of the season to give Emmanuel the 7-4 lead heading into the break.

Rosenberg made 12 saves in the first half including nine in the second quarter to keep the Cougars offense at bay.

After nearly 10 minutes of scoreless play to open the third, Kean cut the lead to 7-5 with a man-up tally by senior attack Matt Brodley (Montvale, N.J.) to make it a two-goal game. Freshman Jack Bushey (Sparta, N.J.) scored his first collegiate goal to pull KU to within one at 7-6 with 3:18 to play in the third but Cibelli responded scoring two goals over the final 1:18 of the quarter to increase the lead to 9-6. Cibelli's fourth goal of the game and sixth of the campaign came with just six seconds left in the quarter on a long clearing pass from senior defender Chris Baglivi (Mattituck, N.Y.) to give the hosts a three-goal cushion entering the final session.

Brodley and Mills netted goals in the early minutes of the fourth quarter to pull Kean to within a goal at 9-8 but Rosenberg and the Saints defensive unit held the Cougars scoreless over the final 12:49 to notch the non-conference victory.

Rosenberg improves to 1-1 on the year between the pipes while KU junior Peter D'Antoni (Closter, N.J.) falls to 0-1 on the year making five saves in the first half before being replaced by sophomore Ryan Sieb (Warren, N.J.). Sieb played well in the second stanza making 12 saves while only allowing two goals.

The Saints return to action on March 7 in Clearwater, Florida for some Spring Break lacrosse against St. John Fisher College at Phillip Jones Field at 12:00 PM. The Cougars are back on March 1 in their home-opener against Ferrum College at 6:00 PM.