Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (March 3, 2010) – The Kean University men's lacrosse team scored the game's first goal just 38 seconds into the contest – threatening to spoil Vassar's season opener – but the Brewers impressively stormed back to score five unanswered goals and then weathered a late Kean rally to defeat the Cougars, 11-8, propelling Vassar to the biggest men's lacrosse win in program history. 

Vassar starts the season 1-0 for the first time since the 2003 season and will next visit Manhattanville College on Monday evening at 5:30 p.m.. The Brewers will then embark on a three-game Spring Break trip with a Myrtle Beach, S.C contest against Medaille College on March 11 at 1:00 p.m. Kean evens its record at 2-2 and will next host Mount Ida College on March 13 at 1:00 p.m. 

Kean, which defeated Vassar 14-5 last season, looked like it would duplicate that performance when senior attack C.J. Gannon scored the game's first goal just 38 seconds into play, netting the first of his four goals past the right shoulder of Vassar junior goalie Alex Tice. But Tice shook off opening season nerves,didn't allow another Kean goal for nine minutes and went on to make nine saves in the game. The Brewers, meanwhile, held their composure and scored five straight goals, three straight coming from sophomore midfielder Jeff Lee that forever changed the complexion of the game. 

“This is the biggest win in our program's history,” said 5th year head coach Joe Proud. “Kean is a good team, one that we respect a lot. We knew they would storm back – and they did – but we played with good composure and were steady. This was a great win. Now we move on from here.” 

After only scoring three goals in last year's opener against Manhattanville, the Brewers showed an explosive offensive attack against Kean, one that saw goals come from six different players, and a relentless pursuit of the ball that resulted in a 38-19 groundball differential over Kean. When Vassar took control of the game in the second period, the Brewers collected 15 groundballs to Kean's one and assaulted the Kean defense and goalie with 15 shots. Vassar held a 37-25 shot advantage in the game. 

Lee's three straight goals, the first two coming within 40 seconds of one another and the third three minutes into the second half, took the wind out of a Kean team that saw the Brewers on the offensive attack at every opportunity. Additional goals by junior Sam Seymour and senior Sean Murray sent the Brewers into halftime with a 6-2 lead. Murray's tally was particularly impressive as he picked up a groundball rebound off his first shot at Kean senior goalie John Gesumaria, faked right and scored with a shot that ripped into the top left corner of the cage. 

As Proud warned his team at halftime, Kean came out with a vengeance to start the third quarter, getting two goals from Gannon in slightly under two minutes to trim the Vassar lead to 6-4. Both of Gannon's goals came in an open space in the Vassar crease, but following those goals, the Brewers clamped down defensively in that area and answered every Kean offensive scoring effort with one of their own. 

The Brewers responded, as they had done all game, with back-to-back goals from sophomore attack Christopher Toffoli and Murray for an 8-4 lead. Murray's second of three goals was a wrap around tally that began from behind the cage and found the senior finding open space in the right side of the goal. 

Kean closed the third period with a goal from senior attack Jazimar Bailey and one from senior attack Scott Leathem to cut Vassar's lead to 8-6 and tighten the game considerably. The Brewers again answered with back-to-back goals under pressure-packed conditions, one coming from senior captain Nick Cardillo on a nifty fake that drew Gesumaria in a direction that exposed the goal cage, and the second coming from Toffoli off a pretty feed in an open space of the crease from sophomore Jack Gross. 

With Vassar leading 10-6, the last five minutes saw Kean score two goals, a second of the game from Leathem and a man-up tally by sophomore attack Brian Maggi, to narrow the Vassar lead to 10-8. The Brewers held firm and with 1:26 to play Kean was forced to pull Gesumaria, who fnished with 10 saves, leaving an open net that enabled sophomore attack Matthew Pearce to find with Vassar's 11th goal as time expired.