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POTSDAM, N.Y. - Junior Breanainn McNeally scored four goals and became the school's record holder for goals in a single season with 50 as the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's lacrosse team defeated Clarkson University, 18-12, in the regular season finale for both teams. The Engineers, who are ranked 16th in the nation, improve to 12-3 overall and 5-2 in the Liberty League and will play in the league semifinals on Friday. The Golden Knights drop to 4-11 and 2-5.

McNeally, the top goal scorer in the conference, entered the game just two goals from tying the school's single season goal record of 48, which was set by Adam LoGiudice '07. An attack from Severna Park, Md., McNeally tied the record early in the second quarter when he made it 8-2 in favor of the Engineers and broke the mark in the third quarter. His third goal of the contest, which came at 9:01 of the third, gave RPI a 14-3 lead. In 45 career games, he now has 125 goals and 35 assists, including two on Saturday, for 160 points.

RPI jumped out to a 3-0 lead at Hantz Turf Field, thanks to goals by JT Kelly (13:44), Mark Surgent (11:46) and McNeally (8:14). Ryan St. Croix answered for Clarkson at 5:31, but Jake Weidner (4:47) and Kelly (4:24) made it a 5-1 edge. 

After Clarkson ended the first quarter with a goal, Kelly scored his third of the game to start a four-goal streak that put the Engineers in front by seven goals, 9-2 with 8:45 to play in the first half. Senior Patrick Finn scored a man-up goal for his second point of the day - he assisted on a first quarter goal - McNeally tied the record and Matthew Gilman, who set up McNeally at 10:53, scored unassisted at 8:45. St. Croix again scored for Clarkson, but RPI followed with six consecutive goals and led 15-3 with 4:59 to go in the third quarter.

The Engineers built its lead to 13 goals, 18-5 with 11:03 to play before Clarkson scored the final seven goals of the contest.

In addition to McNeally's six points, Kelly added four goals and two assists and Gilman had two markers and two assists. Finn tallied twice with one assist and Surgent scored two goals. Four others had single goals.

Sophomore Oliver Kaija won 14 of 21 faceoffs and had a game-high 11 ground balls, while Finn added four pickups. Senior John Phillips had two GBs and a caused turnover. David Gibbs made 11 saves in 45:00, while Parker Smith (2 saves) and Troy Manchester (6) combined for eight stops in the final quarter.

Clarkson got three goals and an assist from both Sam Groves and Scott Dosser. Ryan DaRin added three goals of his own. Garth Buck had four saves in the first quarter for the Golden Knights, who saw Nick Strandholm make six saves the rest of the way.

RPI returns to the North Country for a Liberty League Semifinal game against No. 4 St. Lawrence University on Friday at 4pm. The Engineers played the Saints on April 23 in Troy, losing in overtime, 8-7.