Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The Manhattan men's lacrosse team scored a season-high 10 goals but fell to Air Force 16-10 in their opening game of the 2011 Pioneer Face-Off Classic Saturday afternoon in Denver, Colo.
Six different players scored for the Jaspers (0-4), including three goals from sophomore midfielder Tyler Jarvis, but Manhattan could not find an answer defensively for the Falcons' (1-2) blitzing attack.
Opening the game with the first two scores, Air Force jumped ahead 2-0 with 12:06 remaining in the first period after goals by Zack Carroll and Tommy McKee. In the contest, Air Force's McKee netted a game-high six goals, with Carroll and Mike Crampton each adding three.
Quickly responding to the deficit, Manhattan would fight their way back with two-straight goals from Tyler Jarvis. At the 11:25 mark of the period, Jarvis cut the lead to 2-1 when he beat Air Force goalkeeper Brian Wilson on an unassisted tally. Continuing his career day, the second-year player tied the game at 2-all on another solo effort with 8:46 remaining in the first.
A game of streaks, Air Force would put together a string of five goals in a row to take a 7-2 lead with 13:40 remaining in the second period before the Jaspers would mount one last rally.
Trailing by five, Manhattan cut the deficit to 7-5 heading into the half after goals by sophomore Brian McGrath, junior Brendan Rogers and newcomer Marcel Godino. McGrath and Rogers each had two goals in the contest.
In the third period, the Kelly green and white narrowed the deficit to one at 7-6, when Jarvis recorded his third of the game with 13:35 remaining. However, the comeback would come up short at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium as Air Force retaliated with seven straight goals to go up 14:48 remaining in the final period.
Freshman Brett Madarasz, sophomore Jon Crean, McGrath and Rogers each found the net once in the fourth period but it was not enough as the Falcons cruised to the 16-10 victory.
In the cage, Wilson made seven saves to pick up the victory. Manhattan freshman goalkeeper Rich Akapnitis made 15 saves in taking the loss. Overall, Air Force led Manhattan in shots (45-27), ground balls (49-32), face-offs (21-9) and held a narrow edge in turnovers (21-23).
Manhattan will return to action Sunday at 1 p.m., when they take on host Denver in the second day of action at the Pioneer Face-off Classic.
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