Box Score  | RPI Merchandise

POTSDAM, N.Y. - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's lacrosse team scored the only three goals in the fourth quarter, including the tying goal by goaltender Alex Castronovo with 11 seconds remaining in regulation, and Aaron Shavel's third goal of the game at 2:48 of overtime gave the Engineers a 9-8 win at Clarkson. The Engineers have now won five straight games to improve to 6-2 overall and 2-0 in the Liberty League. The Golden Knights fall to 4-3 and 0-2.

Castronovo, a senior captain, scored on an underhand shot from 15 yards out, setting up Shavel's goals, which came on a hard, low shot from 25 yards out.

The Golden Knights, led by a balanced offensive effort with two goals each by juniors Jack Dowst (Weare, NH) and Matt Gold (Pittsford, NY) and freshman Ryan St. Croix (Camillus, NY), controlled the play early against Rensselaer. Juniors Corey Herrington (Camillus, NY) and Mark Nortz (Lowville, NY) added one goal apiece.

The Green and Gold jumped out to a 2-0 first-quarter lead on goals by Ryan St. Croix and Dowst midway through the period and built the margin to 4-0 on early second-quarter goals by Gold and Dowst.  Rensselaer got on the scoreboard with a goal by freshman Liam Mennig (Summit, NJ) with 8:05 remaining in the quarter. The Knights and Engineers traded two goals apiece later in the first half to close out the opening 45 minutes with Clarkson holding a 6-3 advantage.

RPI and Clarkson both scored twice in the third quarter to keep it a three-goal game through 45 minutes with the Knights holding the 8-5 lead. Junior Scott Crow (Darnestown, MD) started the final four-goal burst for Rensselaer with 11:38 left in the fourth. RPI then tied the game with two late goals in the quarter. Junior Casey Colligan (Baldwinsville, NY) pulled the visitors within one with 1:55 remaining in regulation and Castronovo (Garden City, NY) tied the game. Shavel (Lawrenceville, NJ), a junior, completed the comeback with the game-winner at 1:12 of sudden-victory overtime for his game-high third goal of the day.

Both teams had 35 shots, while Rensselaer held a slight 26-25 advantage in ground balls. Castronovo made 14 saves along with scoring the tying goal to record the victory in the Engineers goal. Junior Harrison Washuta (Maple Grove, MN) finished with 13 stops for Clarkson.

Rensselaer, which was not called for a penalty in the game, made the most of its man-up opportunities, going 2-of-2 with the extra man as Shavel scored both goals. Senior Thomas Newman (Arlington, VA) and sophomore John Phillips (Oswego, NY) picked up four ground balls each for Rensselaer, while sophomore Ben Paprocki (Baldwinsville, NY) scooped up four for the Knights.

Clarkson plays a non-league game at Oswego State on Tuesday. Rensselaer plays at conference foe Skidmore on Wednesday.