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TROY, N.Y. -- Richard Gregory scored three goals to lead #11 Union to a 14-9 win over Renssealer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Liberty League men's lacrosse action on Saturday afternoon at East Campus Stadium. With the loss, the Engineers fall to 7-5 overall and 2-3 in the conference, while the Dutchmen improve to 10-2, with a 3-1 league slate.

The teams exchanged goals to start the game. RPI struck first, as Breanainn McNeally (Severna Park, MD / Archbishop Spaulding) took an assist from Patrick Finn (North Easton, MA / Thayer Academy) at 13:05. Union scored just under a minute later, as Peter Richardson (New Canaan, CT / New Canaan) assisted Paul Alberti (Madison, CT / Avon Old Farms). As time wound down in the quarter, Matthew Gilman (St. Louis, MO / John Burroughs) put the Engineers back ahead, 2-1, with an assist from Casey Colligan (Baldwinsville, NY / CW Baker) at 3:11. Cam Slatton (Billerica, MA / Memorial) tied the game with 1:36 to play to wrap up scoring in the period.

The Dutchmen took a 4-2 lead in the second, scoring the first two goals of the quarter. Gregory (Darien, CT / Darien) scored his first of the day 46 seconds into the period, before Adam Rosenthal (Tiburon, CA / Northfield Mount Hermon) doubled up the Engineers with an unassisted tally at 7:58. RPI cut the lead back to one a minute later with a goal from Aaron Shavel (Lawrenceville, NJ / Princeton Day School), taking an assist from Matt Hall (Sudbury, MA / Lincoln-Sudbury). Union added two more to take a 6-3 advantage with 2:29 to play in the half. Kyle Mason (Fairfield, CT / Ludlowe) scored for the Dutchmen at 5:04, while Gregory added his second unassisted tally at 2:29. John Phillips (Oswego, NY / Oswego) ended the run with an unassisted goal at 2:13, but Union would add two more scores before the end of the half, getting back-to-back tallies from Jack O'Connor (Wayzata, MN / Breck) and Tom Stanton (Hingham, MA / Catholic Memorial), who converted a goal as time expired.

After Ben Piersiak (Needham, MA / St. Sebastians) won the faceoff to start the third quarter, Colligan bolted straight for the Union goal, and scored, just 55 seconds into play. However, the Dutchmen would respond with three consecutive goals, including Mason's second man-up tally of the game at 13:02, to take an 11-5 lead with just under 12 minutes to play. McNeally took an assist from Scott Crow (Darnestown, MD / Bullis School) for an extra-man goal of his own at 7:52, and Finn cut the Engineer deficit to 11-7 with a goal off the ensuing faceoff. Gregory completed his hat trick with a goal at 4:32 to set the score at 12-7 heading into the last quarter of play.

Rensselaer scored the first two goals of the final quarter to pull within 12-9, getting tallies from Pat Hogan (Mt. Sinai, NY / Mt. Sinai) and Chaz Bell (Hopewell, NJ / Hopwell Valley). Union would add two more goals before the final horn to set the final score, as Charlie Ross (Westport, CT / Staples) and Stanton both scored within the final three minutes of play.

Union outshot the Engineers, 36-31, and held a 29-16 advantage in ground balls. Connor Hall (Sudbury, MA / Lincoln-Sudbury) took all 26 faceoffs for the Dutchmen, coming away with 15 wins. Rensselaer was 1-for-2 on extra-man opportunities, while Union converted 2-of-5 on the man-up. David Gibbs (Stony Brook, NY / Ward Melville) recorded 10 saves for RPI, while Stefan Basile (Fayetteville, NY / Fayetteville-Manlius) stopped 12 opposing shots for the Dutchmen.

RPI will return to action next Saturday, April 18, visiting St. Lawrence in Liberty League action at 12 p.m. Union hosts #2 RIT in conference play on Wednesday at 4 p.m.