HOBOKEN, N.J. – The No. 12 Stevens Institute of Technology men's lacrosse team led 7-2 in the second quarter but No. 6 Wesleyan University utilized a 7-3 advantage in the second half in a 12-10 final Wednesday night from DeBaun Athletic Complex.
 
Shea Grant had two goals and two assists to lead Stevens (5-2) with four points; Joe Leone scored a pair, his first goal(s) in his last 14 games dating back to last season; Connor Gabilanes also notched a pair for the Ducks. Matthew Pergola failed to score for the first time this season but did hand out a team-high three assists.
 
Aidan Long caused a game-high five turnovers and Jackson Penn won 16-of-24 turnovers, scooping a game-high nine ground balls.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Wesleyan scored on the first shot of the night and held the lead more than seven minutes until Gabilanes equalized on a man-up opportunity. Wesleyan went back in front just over a minute later, but Tyler Holland, making just his fourth appearance of the season, scored his third goal of the year, tying the score at two heading to the second quarter.
 
The first 12 minutes of the period were all Stevens, as the Ducks scored five unanswered goals. It began with Tommy Robertozzi scoring on another man-up opportunity and Penn adding his second goal of the season just 25 seconds later.
 
After nearly seven scoreless minutes, the Ducks reeled off three more in less than two minutes, with Grant scoring twice (one on yet another man-up opportunity) and Leone adding his first of the night. Wesleyan (4-1) withstood the charge and closed the quarter strong with three straight of their own, pulling within 7-5 at the half.
 
Grippo got one back for the Ducks to open the second half, but the Cardinals took their first lead since 2-1 with four straight goals, taking a 9-8 lead with 3:34 left in the quarter. Gabilanes knotted the score at nine less than a minute after Wesleyan took the lead, where the score remained headed to the fourth.
 
Wesleyan went up 12-9 with 3:16 left, but the Ducks did not go quietly. Leone added his second of the day with 2:41 left then, with Wesleyan trying to run out the clock, the Ducks forced a turnover off a Cardinals' face-off win and had a chance from point-blank range to pull within one with two minutes remaining, but the shot was denied. Stevens did not attempt another shot the rest of the way.

Inside the Box Score

• The Ducks' three man-up goals gave them seven in their last two games, matching their total from the first five games of the season.
• Penn's nine ground balls were a season high and his 16 face-off wins matched his season high.
• Defensively, the Ducks allowed zero goals on Wesleyan's seven extra-man opportunities.

Up Next: Stevens' four-game home-stand concludes Saturday at 12:00 p.m. against Tufts, the reigning national champion and No. 1 team in the country.
 
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