CENTER VALLEY, Pa. (March 30, 2022)  – The Stevens Institute of Technology men's lacrosse team broke open a close game with four unanswered goals in the fourth quarter to defeat DeSales University 16-7 Wednesday in a MAC Freedom matchup on the Bulldogs' Turf Field.

Senior Tyler Ryan had three goals and two assists to lead the offense and joined seniors Michael Burns and Brendan Sullivan, along with graduate student Ryan Caplis in posting hat tricks for the Ducks, who moved to 3-6 on the year and to 1-0 in conference play. The Ducks have won their last 24 league games and have won their last six conference openers dating back to the 2016 season.

Domenic Maria had a pair of goals for DeSales, who dropped to 4-4 on the year and to 0-1 in league play. The Bulldogs have dropped three of their last four and have dropped each of the last five meetings with the Ducks. Stevens leads the all-time series 6-3. The Ducks held the Bulldogs to their second-lowest offensive output of the season.

"I thought our players did a great job playing fast and pushing the tempo against a very talented DeSales team," head coach Gene Peluso said. "Our defense played great, protecting our goal, but they also did an excellent job with our transition offense. I am proud of our guys for their grittiness and toughness today."

Sophomore Jack Savarese finished with a goal and an assist as nine different Ducks found the scoresheet. Burns, Sullivan and Caplis each recorded an assist to finish the contest with four points apiece. Junior Jake Wright had a goal and two assists and senior Sean Scadden and Jack Savarese each added one of each. Junior Joe Cawley had a goal and senior Craig Stockfeder had an assist to round out Stevens' scoring. The second-period goals by Scadden and Cawley were the first collegiate markers for each student-athlete. 

Sophomore Jake Zeyher made five saves to earn the victory in the cage. Quentin Lyons had 13 saves in defeat for DeSales.

The Ducks led wire to wire, jumping on DeSales early in the contest, scoring four times before the midway point of the opening quarter. Ryan put the Ducks on the board with his ninth of the year on the Ducks' third possession of the contest. Sophomore Russell Eberding won the ensuing faceoff and Sullivan was able to capitalize, beating Lyons for his 13th of the year. Eberding won the next faceoff and the Ducks were able to again find the back of the net to make it three goals on three straight possessions.    

The Ducks finished the opening quarter with a 5-1 lead and were able to keep DeSales at-bay on the second, outscoring the Bulldogs 4-2, using a 3-0 run after DeSales scored the first goal of the stanza to reclaim a comfortable margin. The Ducks allowed just nine shots, three on-goal, to DeSales over the first two periods. 

Cawley provided a big highlight, scoring the Ducks final goal of the half, while shorthanded - taking a pass from Scadden and entering the attacking third, before whipping a ball past Lyons for his first career goal. The loose ball from the faceoff carried into the Ducks' defensive zone, where a DeSales player mistimed a ground ball pickup and Scadden quickly pounced on the ball and moved into the midfield.

"Sean Scadden, Joe Cawley and David Bendis did an excellent job on a talented DeSales offense, but their play with the ball was also noteworthy," Peluso commented. 

DeSales outscored Stevens 4-3 in the third to pull within 12-7, but the Ducks clamped down on the Bulldogs in the final period to secure the victory. Stevens scored all four goals in the period and Zeyher stopped all four scoring chances to preserve the win. 

DeSales committed 22 turnovers on the evening, with the Ducks causing 13 of them. Senior Evan Eggleston recorded a career-high four caused turnovers, while Scadden caused three. Vince Maria had three to lead DeSales.

Of the Ducks' 19 faceoff wins, 10 came in the first and fourth quarters. Eberding went 17-5 in the circle and picked up 10 ground balls to lead the Ducks' efforts. The 17 faceoff wins marked a new career high.

"A great game at the faceoff dot from Russell Eberding," Peluso said. "He won some big faceoffs for us, including a couple of man-down faceoff wins that allowed us to kill penalties."

Stevens had a 41-28 edge in ground balls. Eberding's 10 led both sides and 14 different Ducks picked up at least one.

Ryan's second goal of the game came as a result of the Ducks' only extra-man opportunity of the contest. DeSales converted two of its five power-play chances.

Stevens was successful on 15 of its 21 clearing attempts, while DeSales converted 15 of its 18 attempts.

Up Next: Men's Lacrosse continues MAC Freedom play on April 2, heading to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to take on King's. The Ducks topped the Monarchs 25-2 on Apr. 17, 2021 in what was believed to be the first meeting between the programs.

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