Box Score Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Trailing by two goals in the third quarter, the Middlebury College men's lacrosse team fired off five straight goals and held off Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 9-6, in non-conference action at East Campus Stadium. With the win, the #15 Panthers improve to 8-3 overall, while the Engineers shoulder just their second loss of the season and are now 10-2.

Rensselaer had the momentum to open the second half, battling back from a 2-1 deficit in the second quarter to take a 3-2 lead after 30 minutes of play. After goals from freshman Erich Pfeffer (Glastonbury, CT/Glastonbury) and junior Andrew Conner (Alexandria, VA/St. Stephen's & St. Agnes) pushed the visiting Panthers ahead, the Engineers mounted a comeback with two goals in the final 4:25 of the half.

Senior midfielder Paul Cerone (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield), who scored with 14 seconds left in the first half, added his second tally at 10:35 of the third quarter, but Middlebury quickly took control of the game.

Panthers' sophomore Tim Cahill (Glastonbury, CT/Loomis Chaffee) started the rally at 7:15, connecting on a pass from Pfeffer in front of the net to cut the lead to 4-3. Senior Jeff Begin (Ipswich, MA/St. John's Prep) tied it at 4-all at 5:41, and back-to-back goals less than a minute apart from freshmen Stew Kerr (Lake Forest, IL/Lake Forest) and Scott Redmond (Essex Fells, NJ/Newark Academy) gave the visitors a 6-4 advantage after three quarters of play.

Redmond opened the fourth quarter with a goal, but the Engineers fought back as senior Bryant Johnson (Minnetonka, MN/The Blake School) collected a pass from junior Nick Billy (Redding, CT/Joel Barlow) to cut the deficit to two (7-5) with 7:41 left in the game.

Middlebury tacked on a pair of goals minutes later and despite another tally from Johnson with 4:06 left, the Engineers were unable to even things up at the visitors played solid defense and controlled possession as the clock wound down.

Led by a pair of goals from Cahill and Redmond, the Panthers extended their winning streak over Rensselaer to eight games, dating back to the 1998 season. Additionally, Begin and Pfeffer each recorded a goal and an assist. In goal, junior Ryan Deane (Grosse Pointe, MI/Univ. Liggett School) moved to 8-3 on the season, stopping 12 shots.

For RPI, which last defeated Middlebury on April, 21, 1971, Johnson and Cerone each scored a pair of goals. Billy added a goal and an assist, while rookie goalie James Manchester (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) made 11 saves in just his second loss of the season. He is now 10-2 overall.

The Engineers are back in action on Saturday in a critical Liberty League match-up at St. Lawrence (1pm). The Panthers are also back on the field on Saturday at NESCAC-rival Tufts (2pm).