FAIRFIELD, Conn.-- The Sacred Heart University men's lacrosse team dropped a tough battle, 13-12, to league-leading Mount St. Mary's at home on Saturday afternoon in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action. Jake Ward led the Pioneers with four goals and one assist. 

Records: 
Sacred Heart: 4-9, (4-4 MAAC)
Mount St. Mary's: 8-6, (7-1 MAAC)

Top Performers: 
Jake Ward: 4 goals, 1 assist
Carson Spooner: 3 goals, 2 assists
Jake Garb: 2 goals
Morgan O'Reilly: 1 goal, 1 assist

Goalkeepers: 
Alex Pazienza: 12 saves

Of Note:
After trailing 9-8 at halftime, the Pioneers came out hot to open the third quarter. Jake Garb and Ward scored back-to-back goals to take a 10-9 lead. Mount responded with three consecutive goals to regain the lead, 12-10, with just over five minutes in the third quarter. Carson Spooner brought the Pioneers within one, 12-11, at 3:20 in the third, but Mount answered again, with one more to take a 13-11 lead heading into the final quarter. 

The Pioneers' defense shut the Mountaineers down in the fourth quarter, holding Mount to 11 shots and not allowing a single goal. Spooner, again, found the back of the net to pull the Pioneers within one, 13-12, with just over five minutes remaining in the game. SHU was unable to get one more to tie the game in the remaining time.

Mount scored the first pair of goals to open the game with a 2-0 lead early in the first quarter. Spooner tallied his first of the game to get SHU on the board, followed by a pair from Ward to give the Pioneers a 3-2 lead at 10:21 in the first. Mount tied it up, 3-3, at 9:24, but the Pioneers answered with three straight goals to take the largest lead of the game, 6-3, with just over two minutes left in the opening frame. Mount was able to score a pair in the final 30 seconds, but the Pioneers led 6-5 at the end of the first.
 
Neither team led by more than two goals for the remainder of the game and, Mount came away with the 13-12 victory. 

Up Next: 
The Pioneers will close out the regular season at home against Canisius next Saturday, April 22nd, at 12:00 PM, on senior day at Campus Field.