FAIRFIELD, Conn. - The Jaspers concluded their season opening 3-game road swing with an 18-4 loss to No. 19 Fairfield on Saturday afternoon.
Eric Warden opened the scoring with a goal :52 into the game for the Stags. Nick Stutler and the Jaspers answered back a little under four minutes later to tie the game at one, but that is as close at Manhattan would get. The Stags took the advantage with five more goals in the opening quarter to take a 6-1 lead after 15 minutes of play. The final three Fairfield goals of the frame came on extra man opportunities.
The Jaspers offense included a balance of youth and experience as freshmen Stutler and Jeff Simmons recorded their first career collegiate goals while seniors Marcel Godino and Pat Hodapp also tallied in the contest. Godino and fellow senior Sean McMahon each assisted on one of the final two Manhattan goals of the game. Nick Strano collected a game-high ten ground balls on the day while McMahon picked up eight to reach a team-high 20 over the first three games of the season.
No. 19 Fairfield proved to be too strong and offensively gifted for Manhattan to handle. The Stags netted 18 goals in the meeting courtesy of nine different scorers en route to their second victory of the season. Three Stags recorded hat tricks and three other Fairfield players scored two goals apiece on the afternoon.
The Jaspers have a busy week ahead as head coach Steve Manitta's squad will come home to Gaelic Park for the first time this season to take on No. 10 Princeton on Tuesday at 7 p.m before hosting Hartford on Saturday, Mar. 1, at 1 p.m.