Providence, RI (May 1, 2004) - Men's lacrosse team fell to Providence, 14-9, in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action on Saturday, May 1 in Providence, RI. The game marked the season finale for Manhattan. The Jaspers are going to enter the MAAC tournament as the fourth seed. Manhattan finishes the regular season with a 7-6 overall record and 5-3 in the MAAC. The Friars finish the regular season with a 7-7 overall record and 6-2 in the league.
Eugene Tanner and Greg Lewis led the team in points at today's game. Tanner earned three assists, while Lewis finished two goals and created one assist. Lewis started the scoring less than two minutes into the game giving Manhattan its only lead of the game, 1-0. The Friars went on a scoring rampage scoring four straight goals taking a 4-1 lead before the end of the first period.
Lewis scored Manhattan's second goal of the game five minutes into the second period decreasing the Friar's lead to two goals, 4-2. Providence scored one more time before the Jaspers started to come back. With just under eight minutes left to play Tanner connected with Brian Murray for his second assist of the game, 5-3. Chris Oppito scored 35 seconds after Murray making the score 5-4. With the Jaspers down by only one goal the Jaspers played strong defense keeping the Friars from scoring until the eleventh minute of the period. Providence went on to score three more goals before the end of the half. At the half the score was, 8-5 Friars.
The men came close to tying the game one more time in the third period when Oppito scored his third goal of the game off a pass from Nick Crowley, 8-7. The Friars took a two goal lead again with 5:54 left to play in the period. Justin Otto answered back 17 seconds later to bring Manhattan within one goal for the last time of the game. Providence scored five out of the last six goals of the game.
Goalkeeper Robert Busweiler made four saves for the Jaspers in the loss. Friar Andrew McMinn earned the win between the pipe and made seven saves.
The Jaspers play in the MAAC Semi-final championship game on Friday, May 7 at 1:30 pm against #1 Marist in Buffalo, NY at Canisius College.