BIDDEFORD, Maine – Freshman Graham Davis (Crofton, Md.) scored two goals late in the fourth quarter to cap the only three-goal run for either side in the contest as MIT secured a 12-10 men's lacrosse victory over the University of New England on Saturday afternoon. The Engineers improve to 3-0 on the year, leveling the all-time series with the Nor'easters (3-2) at two games apiece. The net score over the four meetings is 39-39.

The match featured three lead-changes before halftime and seven ties, the last coming at 7-7 moments into the final stanza. Senior Chris Cook (Tully, N.Y.) gave MIT the advantage for good on his second marker with 13:16 left, and junior Luke Verdi (Middletown, Md.) netted one 51 seconds later to establish the first two-goal cushion (9-7) of the game.

After David Rubenstein (Somers, N.Y.) got UNE back within one a mere eight seconds later, Verdi scored again and Davis struck with 9:35 to go to extend the gap to 11-8. More than seven minutes ran off the clock before Davis padded the spread with 2:13 on the clock. Dan Auger (Nashua, N.H.) and Rubenstein pulled the Nor'easters to 12-10 at the 0:48 mark, but the hosts could not get any closer.

Sophomore Michael Traub (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) added a pair for the Engineers, while classmate Harris Stolzenberg (Weston, Fla.) contributed a goal and four assists. Stolzenberg and freshman Christian Jamison (Huntington, N.Y.) shared the team-lead in groundballs with six and junior Chris McPherson (Gaithersburg, Md.) had a game-best three caused turnovers. Verdi finished with two goals and an assist as juniors Jonah Hessels (Laytonsville, Md.) and Paul Orrson (Baltimore, Md.) rounded out the scoring with one goal apiece. Senior John Kramer (Glastonbury, Conn.) registered four groundballs and two caused turnovers while junior goalie Eric Bartell (San Diego, Calif.) collected 11 saves.

For UNE, Auger registered four markers and an assist. Sam Cloutier (Lewiston, Maine) notched a goal and two assists in support, and Andrew Kelly (Sudbury, Mass.) scooped up a game-high seven ground balls. Between the pipes, Big Blue starter John Dusel (Wilbraham, Mass.) made three stops during the opening 30 minutes, exiting at 5-all, and David Pearson (Scarborough, Maine) posted eight saves the rest of the way.

The Engineers return home to face Wentworth Institute of Technology on Tuesday, March 17 while the Nor'easters hit the road to take on Widener University the following day.

Release Courtesy of University of New England Sports Information