Box Score
HAMDEN, Conn. - The Jaspers dropped their Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) opener 10-7 to the Quinnipiac Bobcats on Saturday afternoon. With the loss, Manhattan falls to 1-6 on the season.
Despite a quiet open to the third quarter, Quinnipiac scored the first three goals of the second half and five of the first six to go up 10-5. The Jaspers made a late push and scored the final two goals of the game courtesy of senior Ryan Payton and junior Marcel Godino, but their comeback effort proved too little, too late.
Quinnipiac senior starting goalkeeper Gill Conners entered the game with the highest save percentage in the country (66.3%). He was on par with his season average as he made 14 saves and allowed just seven goals on the afternoon.
Quinnipiac scored the game's first three goals, but the Jaspers came storming back to take a momentary 4-3 lead near the end of the first half. Sophomore Nick Strano scored twice on the Manhattan run. Senior Brett Madarasz and freshman Matt Garvey also scored on the 4-0 Jaspers spurt. However, two late goals by Quinnipiac put the Bobcats up 5-4 at the break.
Madarasz led the Jaspers with three points on the afternoon (1G, 2A) while Godino and Strano led the team in goals with two apiece.
Seniors Sean McMahon and Dan McGreevy led the Jaspers defense as they each collected four ground balls. They also combined to cause five turnovers. Senior starting goalkeeper Rich Akapnitis played well, finishing with 11 saves on the afternoon.
The Jaspers return to action on Tuesday, March 18, when they travel to eastern Long Island to take on the Stony Brook Seawolves at 6 p.m.
