Box Score PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville men's lacrosse team scored the final goals of the game to force overtime, but the Valiants could not complete the comeback in dropping a 9-8 (OT) decision to SUNY Maritime in both teams' 2014 season-opener on Saturday afternoon at GoValiants.com Field.

Sophomore forward Connor Normandin (Stratford, Conn./Bunnell) and junior midfielders Cory Balog (Hamden, Conn./Hamden) and Jack Polak (Longmeadow, Mass./Longmeadow) tallied two goals apiece to help lead the Valiants, with Balog and Polak both adding an assist as well for a team-leading three points. Freshmen Colin Morrissey (Shelton, Conn./St. Joseph) and Ed Motherway (Suffield, Conn./Suffield) both had a goal and an assist each in their collegiate debuts as well for Manhattanville (0-1).

Maritime (1-0) was led by Zachary Pace with a game-high four goals, followed by Dylan Larmony with two tallies and Matt Hayes with a goal and an assist.

Less than five minutes into the game, Polak ripped a shot past Maritime goaltender Mike Arnold, giving the Valiants an early 1-0 lead. Maritime was quick to respond, however, when less than two minutes later they scored two goals in less than 90 seconds, as both Pace and Larmony got on the scoresheet for Maritime.

Manhattanville surged back to score two more goals before the quarter came to an end. Morrissey picked up his first collegiate goal by rifling home a shot off an assist from sophomore Pat Guido (Eastchester, N.Y./Eastchester).  Just over a minute and a half later, Morrissey set up Balog's goal on a man-up opportunity to put the Valiants ahead after one quarter.

The second quarter began with Maritime scoring two goals in 1:08, as Pace and Larmony scored their second goals, respectively.  Maritime did not have long to enjoy their lead as Normandin buried his first goal of the season off an assist from Polak. Maritime would score once more, only to have that goal followed up by Motherway's first collegiate goal with 1:11 remaining in the half, tying the game at 5.

The second half proved to be a tale of two quarters.  Maritime controlled the pace of play in the third, scoring the only three goals of the quarter, to give themselves an 8-5 lead heading into the final stanza.

With their backs against the wall, the Valiants came out and dominated the fourth quarter. Starting with Normandin's second goal of the game, a man-up goal at the 11:42 mark, the Valiants methodically mounted a comeback. With just over 4:30 to play, Balog picked up his second goal of the day to cut the deficit to one, and Polak scored an unassisted goal with 2:12 remaining to knot the score. Both teams had chances to win it in regulation, including a 30-second man-up chance for Manhattanville late in the contest as well as a shot by Maritime's Matt Hayes that hit the post in the waning seconds.

Manhattanville won the faceoff to start overtime but could not convert on its possession, and the Valiant comeback was cut short by the stick of Maritime's Matt Hayes, who was able to get a shot past freshman goaltender Ian Reill (East Rockaway, N.Y./East Rockaway) 2:2 into the extra frame to win the game for the Privateers. 

Reill, making his collegiate debut for the Valiants, was impressive in net making 15 saves on 24 shots, while Arnold recorded 10 saves on 18 shots. The shots were even throughout, with Maritime posting a slight 33-30 edge in total shots. The Valiants also had two man-up goals on seven chances, while keeping Maritime scoreless on its five man-up opportunities.

Manhattanville will return to action next Saturday for its originally scheduled home opener, coming against Vassar at 3 p.m. at GoValiants.com Field. The game will be video streamed live on GoValiants.TV beginning at 2:50 p.m.