Box Score Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Senior Bryant Johnson (Minnestonka, MN/The Blake School) scored a game-best four goals, highlighted by back-to-back tallies in the fourth quarter, to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's lacrosse team to a 12-7 victory over Union College in front of 815 fans at East Campus Stadium. The game was also the Liberty League regular season finale for both teams.

With the victory, the #15 Engineers improve to 12-2 overall and 6-0 in the conference standings, earning the top-seed in the upcoming Liberty League Tournament and the regular season crown. The Dutchmen are now 11-3 overall and 5-1 in the league, securing the second-seed in next weekend's playoffs.

As the top two teams, both RPI and Union will host a Semifinal game on Friday, May 7, at a time to be determined early next week. The Engineers will welcome fourth-seeded St. Lawrence to East Campus Stadium, while the Dutchmen take on third-seeded Skidmore in Schenectady.

Holding a 4-1 lead after the first half of action, Rensselaer was quickly forced to defend its zone as the visiting Dutchmen grabbed their second goal of the game off the stick of Peter Griesinger (Winchester, MA/Winchester) to make it just a two-goal lead. Following a Devin Arnold (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) tally to push RPI to 5-2, the Dutchmen found momentum with two goals in a one minute span to cut the lead to 5-4 with 6:53 left to play in the third quarter.

The Engineers took back control quickly, scoring four straight goals in a four-minute span for a 9-4 advantage with 1:57 remaining. Junior Conor Chocheles (Babylon, NY/Babylon) had a goal and an assist during the stretch while freshman Eric Valero (Princeton Jct., NJ/W. Windsor Plainsboro) had a spectacular behind-the-back pass that flew past Union keeper Sean Aaron (Great Falls, VA/Philips Academy).

Union made it 9-5 with a quick goal at 54 seconds of the third from Ted McKenna (Westford, MA/Philips Exeter Academy) and Ethan Meyer (Brewster, NY/Brewster) cut the Dutchmen's deficit to three (9-6) to open the fourth quarter, but the RPI offense continued to shine. Behind Johnson's two goals and the second tally of the game by Arnold, the Engineers held on for their first victory over Union since March 31, 2007.

In addition to Johnson, Rensselaer saw Arnold and Valero each add two goals. Cerone had a goal and two assists, while Nick Billy (Redding, CT/Joel Barlow) and Chocheles each had a tally and a helper. Freshman James Manchester (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) sparkled in goal for RPI, stopping 13 shots, including four in the second quarter and five in the final stanza.

Union, which held a 23-19 ground ball advantage in the contest, saw Griesinger record three goals, while McKenna added two tallies. Junior Brendan Kinnane (Little Compton, RI/Portsmouth Abbey) chipped in with two assists. Between the pipes, Aaron made 11 saves, including an impressive six stops in the second quarter.