SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The #12 Union College men's lacrosse team put up a good fight against the nation's top team on Wednesday evening, but #1 Rochester Institute of Technology held off the Dutchmen for a 12-9 victory in an entertaining Liberty League matchup at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
 
In a battle of the conference's top-two teams and two of the top six teams in the latest NCAA Regional rankings, RIT (16-1, 8-0 Liberty League) clinched its eighth straight Liberty League regular-season title with the victory. Union (12-2, 7-1 Liberty League) has its eight-game winning streak come to an end and finishes the regular season in second place in the conference. Both teams will host tournament semifinal games next Wednesday.
 
Sophomore Keaton McCann tied for the game-high with three goals to lead the Dutchmen, while senior Jack Sullivan and sophomore Brian Davis added two goals apiece. Ryan Barnable registered a game-high five points on three goals and two assists for RIT.
 
The visitors scored the first two goals of the game to take a 2-0 lead with 5:00 remaining in the first quarter, but McCann and Davis got the home team back to even with the final goal of the opening frame and the opening goal of the second stanza. The game was tied at three before a string of three straight RIT goals, beginning with a Shawn Nally goal where the ball was checked out of his stick but somehow floated into the net to put the Tigers up 4-3 at the half.
 
The third quarter was easily the most entertaining of the contest, with the teams combining for 12 goals. RIT built up the largest lead of the game at 8-4 but Union made a big push, scoring three goals in less than three minutes from McCann, sophomore Hayden Frey and Davis to get back within a goal with 5:52 left in the third.
 
With all the momentum on Union's side, the Dutchmen got the ball back on the next possession with a chance to tie, but a turnover gave the ball back for an RIT goal and then another 60 seconds later that built the lead back to three. Union got the deficit back down to two on a pair of occasions, but the Dutchmen could get no closer, thanks in part to a string of penalties that hampered the comeback efforts.
 
Senior Jack Santilli made seven saves for the Dutchmen, while Walker Hare made 11 saves to earn the win for the Tigers. RIT finished the game with a 35-31 edge in shots, while senior Alex Newhouse and RIT's Nick Montemorano battled to a 12-12 stalemate at the faceoff X.
 
The Dutchmen will be back in action next Wednesday for the Liberty League Tournament semifinals, with time and opponent to be determined. Check back to UnionAthletics.com early next week for a full tournament preview.