Farmingdale State - 20, Hartwick - 10
Farmingdale, N.Y. - Farmingdale State freshman attack Rob Varello (Smithtown, N.Y.) scored a game-high six goals to lead the men's lacrosse team past Hartwick, 20-10, this afternoon in Farmingdale, N.Y. FSC improved to a perfect 6-0, while the Hawks fell to 0-2.
In a first quarter controlled by the Rams, junior midfielder Matt Sullivan (Stony Brook, N.Y.) and Varello tallied back-to-back unassisted goals to put Farmingdale State ahead, 2-0.
After Hartwick's Tim Watson (Wrentham, Mass.) recorded a goal to cut their deficit to just one, FSC registered five straight scores, including one from Hunter Lyons (East Islip, N.Y.) and two each from Varello and freshman attack Blake Behlen (Commack, N.Y.), to go in front, 7-1.
With 12:19 left in the second quarter, the Hawks tallied a goal to close within five, but Farmingdale State sophomore midfielder Jared Miglorie (Rutland, Vt.) won the ensuing faceoff, drove to the net and scored to regain the six-goal advantage, 8-2.
After each team scored three goals apiece, Rams' sophomore attack Jake Wandle (Rocky Point, N.Y.) netted an unassisted goal with just 18 seconds on the clock to give Farmingdale State a 12-5 lead at the break.
In the third quarter, each team scored three times as FSC maintained their seven-goal lead at 15-8 heading into the fourth.
Just 36 seconds into the final quarter, Behlen set up Varello for a score to give the Rams a 16-8 advantage. FSC senior midfielder Joe Watson (Brentwood, N.Y.) followed with a goal off the feed from Wandle to go up 17-8.
T. Watson would score for Hartwick to cut the deficit to eight, but Farmingdale State responded with three straight goals from Sullivan, Behlen and sophomore midfielder Peter Engelken (Holtsville, N.Y.) to go in front by 11, 20-9.
The Hawks recorded the final goal of the game as FSC went on for the 20-10 non-conference victory.
Varello finished with seven points on six goals and one assist, while also picking up a career-high five ground balls. Behlen tallied a game-high eight points on five goals and three assists and Wandle produced two goals, three assists and five ground balls. Miglorie had one goal, seven ground balls, two caused turnovers and won 15 of 23 faceoffs, while senior midfielder John McMahon (West Babylon, N.Y.) picked up a game-high 14 ground balls. Lyons added two goals and two assists in the win.
Farmingdale State goalkeepers Kevin Loonie (Lynbrook, N.Y.) (W, 6-0) and Will DeCamp (Bay Shore, N.Y.) split time in net and produced six and seven saves, respectively.
For Hartwick, T. Watson tallied a team-high four points on two goals and two assists.
The Rams next will host Misericordia for a non-conference game on Saturday, March 14th at 4:00 p.m. Prior to Farmingdale State's game, the College will be hosting the 1st Annual Ram Lacrosse Challenge featuring #17 UMass and Utah.
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