MILTON, Mass. – In the Colonels first bid to the ECAC Tournament, the #4 seed and host Curry College defeated the #5 seed Husson University, 13-8, in men's lacrosse action on Wednesday evening in Milton, Mass.  With the victory Curry earns its 10th win of the season, a school record, and improves to 10-7 overall.  The Eagles end their season with an 11-9 overall record.

Husson was the first to get on the board just 1:07 into the opening frame.  Senior Dillon Shaw (Augusta, Maine) won the face-off and scored his only goal of the game unassisted. Curry responded just 12 seconds later when junior Joseph Natale (Haverhill, Mass.) found an open senior Russell Lanham (Silver Spring, Md.) in front of the cage who one-timed it past  the Eagles’ senior goalkeeper John Hooper (Wakefield, Maine).   The game remained tied until Husson took a one-goal lead before the end of the quarter with just 2:47 left to play.  Freshman Dustin Brett (Loudon, N.H.) tallied his first after he rolled the crease and bounced a shot past the Colonels’ senior netminder Michael Hibbard (Chelmsford, Mass.).

Curry came out strong to start the second quarter just 42 seconds in.  Sophomore Connor Arnold (Clifton Park, N.Y.) received a pass from senior Sean Gallagher (Topsfield, Mass.).  Curry took the lead after freshman Ronald Jensen (Zionsville, Ind.) found the back of the net off another Gallagher assist.  Husson evened the score at three apiece off a junior Chris Pelletier score.  This would be the Eagles only goal of the quarter.  The Colonels finished with two more to head into the break with a 5-3 lead.  Freshman John Castellano (Scarsdale, N.Y.) scored off Gallagher’s third assist of the game.  Lanham tallied his second of the half, unassisted. 

Curry outshot Husson 22-14.  The Eagles had the advantage in ground balls with 18 to the Colonels 10 and won 8 out of 10 face-offs.

The third quarter saw eight goals scored, five for Curry and four for Husson.  Castellano had two for the Colonels while Lanham, senior Matthew Harlow (Melrose, Mass.) and junior Andrew Navoni (Natick, Mass.) each chipped in with one.  All five scores were unassisted.  For the Eagles, Senior Ben Landry (North Attleboro, Mass.) netted two, while Brett and senior Nick Brown (Fort Worth, Tx.) had one apiece.

Curry outscored Husson 3-1 in the final frame for the 13-8 win.  Natale opened with the first goal and finished with the last.  Lanham also added to the scoring with his fourth of the night.  Hussons final tally of the game came from junior Alex Ryan (Northfield, N.H.) who was assisted by Pelletier.

The Colonels finished with 42 shots, while the Eagles had 34.  Husson was very strong on the face-off winning 22 of 25, leaving Curry with just three.  The Eagles also scooped up 43 groundballs to the Colonels 21. 

Hibbard played solid between the pipes earning his 10th win making 13 saves.  Hooper also finished with 13 saves in net taking the loss. 
 
Curry will travel to the #1 seed Endicott College on Saturday, May 11 at 11:00 a.m. in the semi-final round of the ECAC Championship Tournament.

Box Score