MEN'S LACROSSE FALLS IN SEASON-OPENER TO UMASS-DARTMOUTH, 19-8

DARTMOUTH, Mass. --  Junior Mike Rizzo (Bridgewater, Mass.) netted five goals and two assists for seven points, as UMass Dartmouth notched a 19-8 non-league college men's lacrosse victory over Emmanuel in the season opener for both teams Saturday afternoon at Cressy Field.

Rizzo scored a first quarter hat trick to lift the host Corsairs (1-0) to a 6-3 advantage after the opening 15 minutes of play, but senior Matt Katon's (East Falmouth, Mass.) man-up marker midway through the second stanza enabled the visiting Saints (0-1) to pull within a pair at 7-5.  UMass Dartmouth collected the final three tallies of the half to take a 10-5 edge at the break, and after the hosts scored two of the three third quarter goals, the Corsairs erupted for seven unanswered tallies, including two each by Rizzo and junior Donovan Prozinski (Ashland, Mass.), in the first 9:42 of the final frame to ice their triumph.

Sophomore Tim Jordan (Sandwich, Mass.) added four goals and a pair of assists in the triumph for UMass Dartmouth, which received a hat trick and three helpers from Prozinski.  Freshman Kevin Swenson (Ipswich, Mass.) tallied twice and added a pair of assists for four points in his collegiate debut for the Corsairs, who received a pair of markers off the stick of freshman Zak Wirsen (Bourne, Mass.).  Freshman Tom Lattanzi (Hamilton, Mass.) registered a goal and two assists for the winners, who received a marker and helper from sophomore Josh Souza (Sandwich, Mass.) along with a tally off the stick of freshman Alexi Fauzey (Charlestown, R.I.).

Katon collected a hat trick and an assist for four points in the setback for Emmanuel, which received a pair of goals from freshman Andrew Alden (East Lyme, Conn.) as well as markers off the sticks of sophomores Charlie Stuzenberger (Plymouth, Mass.) and Kyle LeBeau (Milton, Vt.).  Junior Alex Flanagan (Westford, Mass.) netted a goal and an assist as well for the Saints, who received a pair of helpers from senior Ben Hartig-Orr (Reading, Vt.) along with a single assist from sophomore Joe Cuticelli (Madison, Conn.).

Junior Ted McCaffery (Pepperell, Mass.) made a pair of saves and recorded an assist in the triumph for UMass Dartmouth, which received a fourth quarter stop from sophomore Sam Kozimor (Wrentham, Mass.).  Freshman Peyton Goodwin (East Sandwich, Mass.) registered nine saves in the setback for Emmanuel, as the Corsairs outshot the Saints by a 45-21 margin overall (28-11 on goal) and held an 18-12 advantage in the face-off circle for the contest.

UMass Dartmouth hosts Roger Williams in a non-league match on Wednesday afternoon at Cressy Field that begins at 4:00 pm, while Emmanuel will be idle until Monday, March 4^th when the Saints face Misericordia in a non-league outing in Clearwater, Fla. that begins at 7:00 pm.

*Release courtesy of UMass Dartmouth Sports Information