CANTON, N.Y. – A rough third quarter did in the Union College men's lacrosse team once again on Saturday afternoon, as the Garnet Chargers were outscored 7-4 after halftime to suffer a 11-10 loss to #15 St. Lawrence University in both teams' Liberty League opener at North Country Field.
 
First-years Luke Allen and Garrett Salit led all players with three goals and three assists, respectively, to pace Union (1-8, 0-1 Liberty League). The defensive effort was led by junior Kyle Goodwin (four ground balls, two caused turnovers) and senior John Sula (two ground balls, four caused turnovers), as well as 16 saves from junior Nick Lynch.
 
Daniel Mahoney recorded a game-high four points for St. Lawrence (5-2, 1-0 Liberty League), scoring two goals and adding two assists.
 
After Mahoney scored the game's first goal 2:52 into the contest, Union responded with unassisted tallies by Allen and junior Mekhi Taylor to take its first lead with 5:01 on the clock in the first quarter. SLU tied the score at two with 1:55 remaining, but first-year Jack Roycroft scored his first collegiate tally 32 seconds later to put the visitors back in front after the end of the first.
 
The Garnet Chargers scored the first two goals of the second stanza to build up their largest lead of the afternoon after an Allen man-up tally and an unassisted goal from senior Emmett Lyne less than a minute apart. Following two SLU goals, senior Walker Popko regained the team's two-goal edge headed into halftime.
 
Despite being outshot by a 25-16 margin, Lynch made nine saves in the opening 30 minutes to keep the visitors ahead.
 
The tide turned swiftly in the third quarter, however, as St. Lawrence outscored Union by a 6-2 margin to take control. Allen found the net for the third time to give the visitors their last lead a 7-6 with 6:14 left in the third, but the Saints scored four times in less than four minutes to take back the lead at 10-7 with 1:52 left in the third.
 
Union got back within a goal early in the fourth after tallies from Lyne and junior Joe Hennessey, but the Saints regained their two-goal edge with 8:02 left. Following three scoreless possessions, Union got back within a goal with 3:55 left after a goal by sophomore Mac McGovern. Lynch made a key save on the next possession to get the ball back, but two shots went wide of the mark and Union eventually turned the ball over on a shot clock violation. Union had another change to tie the game after a SLU turnover with under a minute remaining, but the visitors could not get off a shot.
 
Lynch added seven saves to his total in the second half to finish the day at 16, as St. Lawrence posted a 45-32 edge in shots on the afternoon.
 
Union will be back in action on Tuesday, when the Garnet Chargers head south to take on Middlebury College in Saint Leo, Fla.