MSU EDGES EASTERN CONNECTICUT FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WIN, 11-9

Willimantic, CT (3/15/08) - Senior attackman Bryan Klimchak (Clark, NJ / Arthur L. Johnson) scored three of his five goals on extra-man opportunities to power the Montclair State University men’s lacrosse team to an 11-9 victory over Eastern Connecticut State University Saturday afternoon at Thomas Nevers Field.

Sophomore fielder Taylor Bonner ( Old Bridge, NJ / Old Bridge) added four goals and six ground balls for the Red Hawks, who have won three straight and are 3-1 on the season. MSU has taken last two meetings between the programs after Eastern (0-4) took the first two.

The game was tied four times before Klimchak gave Montclair (3-1) the lead for good with his fourth goal of the match on an assist from Mario Passafiume (Boonton, NJ / Mountain Lakes) to give the Red Hawks an 8-7 lead with one second left in the third period.

Montclair scored on four of its ten extra-man tries as the Warriors 11 penalties with nine minutes and thirty seconds. Klimchak capitalized on extra-man opportunies to give Montclair a 2-2 tie five minutes into the match, a 5-4 lead with 7:22 left in the second period and an 11-8 advantage with four minutes left.

Junior goalkeeper Thomas Bowers (Hamburg, NJ / Pope John XXIII) made 13 saves for Montclair State, including five in the final period. MSU held the edge in shots, 41-38 as well as faceoffs (12-11). Mike Corsetto (Kinnelon, NJ / Kinnelon), the Skyline Conference Rookie of the Week, had three assists. John Schiavone (Montclair, NJ / Montclair), who added a goal and two assists, was successful on six faceoffs.

Junior attack Matthew Savage ( Southington, CT) led Eastern with three goals. Leading scorer DJ Simmons (Mystic, CT) was held off the board on eight shots. Senior defenseman Jon Snedeker ( Southington, CT) topped the Warriors with nine ground balls, junior defenseman Steve Lane ( Groton, CT) collecting seven.

The Red Hawks return to action on Tuesday, March 18 as they will host Babson College at Sprague Field beginning at 4:30 pm. It will be the fourth meeting between the schools and the first since the Red Hawks' 9-8 triple-overtime victory in 2004.