Seahawks secure playoff spot with 10-6 defeat of Colonels

MIDDLETOWN, R.I.- The Salve Regina University men's lacrosse team rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to defeat Curry College 10-6 on senior day at Gaudet Field.

Matt Serra (Haverhill, Mass.) and Brandon Flaim (Pembroke, Mass.) gave the Colonels an early lead over the Seahawks, who needed to win today's game to keep their playoff hopes alive. 

The Seahawks responded by capitalizing on the Colonels mistakes and turnovers. The Colonels committed seven penalties leading to six man-up situations. The Seahawks made the Colonels pay for those, going 5-6 with the man advantage on the afternoon.

Shortly after Zach Makoske (Shoreham, N.Y.) assisted Nick LoCicero (Lynbrook, N.Y.) for a score, which drew the Seahawks within one, Sharp Jones (Scituate, Mass.) rifled home the equalizer for a man-up score.

The Seahawks continued to capitalize on Colonels mistakes, converting another man-up situation early in the second quarter. This time it was LoCicero repaying the earlier favor by setting up Makoske for his first score of the game and the first lead for the Seahawks.

Curry responded quickly though, on a brilliant move from John McMenomey (West Lin, Ore.) who spun to the inside away from a defender to wrap a shot past Matt D'Amore (Duxbury, Mass.) and knot the game 3-3.

The Colonels were going toe-to-toe with the Seahawks but continued to shoot themselves in the foot with penalties.

The Seahawks drew two straight penalties and converted both for scores; one from Andrew Fera (Cranston, R.I.) and another from Cam Brazill (Ridgewood, N.J.).

Despite all the self-inflicted errors, the Colonels remained in the game because of McMenomey who scored twice more unassisted to tie the game at five.

The game seemed ready to head to halftime tied but another Curry penalty gave the Seahawks a chance for the lead before the break and they didn't let it go.

LoCicero found Eric Backus (Mansfield, Mass.) alone on the wing to the left of net and let loose a rocket that went short side on netminder Shane O'Brien (East Falmouth, Mass.) for a 6-5 lead.

Andrew Watkins (Natick, Mass.) replaced D'Amore in the net for the start of the second half and all but shutout the Colonels. 

Watkins made timely saves in big spots to rob Curry of goals, and was able to corral the groundball and jumpstart the break.  

The Seahawks outscored the Colonels 3-1 in the third, and held them scoreless in the fourth, while outshooting them 15-4 in the final frame. 

The Seahawks edge in the man-up situations proved to be the difference, because the Seahawks committed more penalties that the Colonels, but Curry was only able to must one man-up goal in seven opportunities.

With the loss the Colonels fall to 4-10 overall and 1-6 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC).

The Seahawks even their season record at 6-6 and improve to 4-4 in the CCC and currently sit in the fourth seed for the playoffs.