NEWTON, Mass. – Mount Ida College took a 2-0 lead against Eastern Connecticut State University on Saturday afternoon but were held to just one goal in the middle two periods and suffered their first home loss of the year, dropping a 13-10 decision to the Warriors in non-conference men's lacrosse action at Alumni Field.
The Warriors (3-4) held the Mustangs to just one goal in a span of more than 32 minutes to improve to 5-0 all-time against Mount Ida, who fell to 4-4 on the season.
Lucas Stralka (E. Greenwich, R.I.) scored four goals and had two assists, and Chad Coehlo (Salem, Mass.) assisted on five Mustang goals, while David Borovsky (Burlington, Conn.) and Michael Dellanno (Wakefield, Mass.) netted hat tricks for the Warriors.
Jon Berry (Chichester, N.H.) and Stralka opened the game's scoring, but the Warriors went on to tally four straight goals, including two by Dan Vasquez (Newington, Conn.) to take a 4-2 lead. Mount Ida tied the game by the end of the opening period as Stralka got his second of the game and then assisted on Matt Hoffman's (Brewster, N.Y.) second goal of the year.
The second period was all Eastern Connecticut State, as Dellanno, Borovsky and Shawn Tierny (Norwell, Mass.) all tallied while holding the Mustangs off the board thanks to senior goalie Blake Smaldone (Hamilton, Mass.), who had nine saves in the game.
His counterpart, Mustang sophomore Cam Hayward (Derry, N.H.) finished the contest with 13 saves.
The visitors continued their spurt through halftime, scoring the opening three goals of the third period to take a 10-4 lead before the Mustangs struck back with Stralka to make it 10-5 at the 6:02 mark of the third.
Wyatt Sullivan (Arlington, Mass.), Chris Kidger (Groton, Mass.) and Stralka all struck at the beginning of the fourth quarter, and despite a 5-2 edge in the final period, the Mustangs could not get closer than a three goal deficit.
The key to Eastern's win including winning 16-of-26 faceoffs -- junior midfielder Jesse Schulze (Croton-on-Hudson, NY) was 15-of-25 -- being charged with only one penalty (Mount Ida capitalized on its only man-up opportunity) and owning a 40-31 advantage in ground balls, as well as going a perfect 19-19 on clear attempts.
Mount Ida opens conference play next Saturday afternoon when they travel to Emmanuel College for a 12:00 pm rematch of last year's Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title game, won by the Saints in Boston.
Eastern Connecticut State hosts Wheaton College on Wednesday at 4:00 pm.