BROOKVILLE, N.Y.— In a battle between the final two unbeaten teams in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play, the Sacred Heart University men's lacrosse team downed LIU 17-6 on the road on Saturday afternoon to remain the only undefeated team in conference action. Senior Carson Spooner tallied his 100th career point in the victory as the Pioneers won their fifth consecutive game.

Tucker Spencer led SHU in scoring with four goals, while Spooner added three goals and one assist. James Moran also tallied a hat trick for the Pioneers, and Jake Ward recorded three points from two goals and one assist.

Records:
Sacred Heart: 7-4, 5-0 MAAC
LIU: 7-2, 4-1 MAAC

Top Performers:
Tucker Spencer: 4 goals
Carson Spooner: 3 goals, 1 assist
James Moran: 3 goals
Jake Ward: 2 goals, 1 assist
Alex Pazienza: 10 saves

Of Note:
Spooner and Spencer combined for the first three goals for SHU early on in the opening frame. The Pioneers held LIU scoreless until the final 23 seconds of the first quarter, heading into the second with a 3-1 lead.

Spencer scored the opening goal of the second quarter to give SHU a 4-1 advantage, but LIU answered 30 seconds later to cut the deficit to two, 4-2. Ward and Spencer added the final two goals of the second, giving Sacred Heart a 6-2 lead at the half.

The Pioneers outscored the Sharks 11-4 in the final two periods.

LIU was able to open the scoring in the third quarter, cutting the Pios lead to three, but Morgan O'Reilly answered with his first of the day to put Sacred Heart ahead 7-3. The Sharks added another to pull within three once more, but SHU scored four straight to hold an 11-4 edge in the final minute of the third. LIU was able to sneak one away with two seconds left to head into the fourth trailing, 11-5.

James Moran scored back-to-back goals, and Spencer and O'Reilly each tallied a man-up goal, extending the Pioneers lead to 15-5 throughout the final period. LIU scored with under five minutes left in the game, but Cam Brown and John Murray each added a goal for SHU for the 17-6 final.

Alex Pazienza made 10 saves, backstopping the Pioneers in the victory.  Sacred Heart outshot LIU 53-32, and went 4-for-6 on man-up opportunities.

Up Next:
The Pioneers return home on Saturday, April 6, for their last home game of the season, taking on Wagner at noon on Senior Day.