TROY, N.Y. - Junior Brian Doughty made a save on a Michael Elefonte shot that would have tied the game with under 20 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's lacrosse team held off the University of Scranton 17-16 in a non-league contest at East Campus Stadium. The game was the first of the season for both the Engineers and the Royals.

After pulling to within a goal with 1:01 remaining, Scranton got the ball off the ensuing faceoff and used a timeout. Elefonte, a preseason All-American midfielder, had a shot that went wide and then got the ball after the restart. With 16 seconds left, he split two defenders while coming down the alley toward goal and got a clean look at Doughty, who positioned himself to take the shot off his chest and then collected the ball in the crease. The goalkeeper passed it to near midfield and the Engineers ran out the clock.

RPI opened the game with a pair of goals from senior attack Owen Putman, also a preseason All-American, but Scranton got the next four from four different players. Mike Modesti had the initial tally for the Royals and then added an assist on their fourth. The Engineers countered with four straight of their own, including a Nicholas Colucci goal with time expiring in the first quarter, for a 6-4 lead at 8:33 of the second. Putman notched his third and Ryan Cole had the other two. 

Elefonte snapped the streak with his lone goal of the game, but the Engineers scored three consecutive for a 9-5 lead with under two minutes to play in the half. Scranton got one right back as Collin Purdy scored off the ensuing faceoff, but Colucci closed out the half with another goal as time expired in the quarter.

The Royals pulled to within 11-9 by scoring three of the first four goals of the second half, including another faceoff tally by Purdy. RPI managed to increase its lead before the third was through with four of the next five, with Cooper Urban scoring as time expired in the quarter for a 14-10 lead heading to the fourth.

Will Hatcher's second of the game increased RPI's lead to five goal, but Scranton continued to battle. Mike Bouhall scored seven seconds after Hatcher to make it 15-11, Jalen Holmes scored 1:43 later and Bouhall notched two more to get the visitors to within 15-14 with 8:02 remaining. Connor Glosner answered less than two minutes later, but Nicholas Donato made it a one-goal game again. Glosner again scored with Colucci getting his third assist of the frame, with 2:11 to play, but Holmes made it 17-16 with 1:01 left.

Bouhall finished with three goals and an assist, while Purdy scored twice with an assist. He also had 16 wins in 35 faceoff opportunities. Holmes scored three times and Connor Kirkwood scored once with two assists. Shayne Fallon made 18 saves and had five ground balls and three caused turnovers in the cage.

Colucci led the Engineers with three goals and three assists, while Putman scored three times with two helpers. Hatcher finished with two goals and an assist. Tyler Hancock, who was 18 of 31 on faceoffs, led all players with nine ground balls. Doughty had 11 saves with two pickups in the win.

Rensselaer returns to action on Saturday when they travel to Keene State. Scranton plays at Haverford on Wednesday.