PURCHASE, N.Y. – Kicking off a new week for Manhattanville College athletics, the Valiant men's lacrosse team was defeated by Emerson on Monday afternoon, 15-8. The loss drops Manhattanville to 1-2 on the young season, with the team losing both of their first home contests.

Sean Larkin (White Plains, N.Y./White Plains) compiled the best game of his young career in the loss, as the sophomore midfielder scored four goals. Larkin has now scored eight goals in the team's first three games to lead the Valiants. Nick Cornelia (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) would also net a pair for the home squad, while Patrick Magliocchino (Thornwood, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) and Jesse McGrath (Walden, N.Y./Valley Central) ended the contest with one apiece.

The Valiants would open up the scoring and end the first quarter with a 4-3 lead. With 1:57 gone in the first stanza, Larkin connected with his first of the day off an assist by Harrison Yoguez (Trumbull, Conn./St. Joseph). Emerson's Birk Swan would respond 42 seconds later, but Cornelia netted a tally on Yoguez' second assist of the day while on a man advantage before Magliocchino scored an unassisted goal to put the Valiants up by two with eight minutes left in the first quarter. Emerson tied the game up at 3-3 with 1:25 left in the period after back-to-back goals by Austin Franklin and Skyler Celotto, but Larkin came through again, finishing a feed from Magliocchino with 51 seconds left to put the Valiants ahead 4-3 through the opening 15.

Defense took over to begin the second, as both offenses were held scoreless for close to 10 minutes. Emerson would finally break through on a Nicholas Fulgione goal with 5:41 left in the half. The goal gave the Lions a second wind to close out the half, as Emerson would net three more over the final five minutes and hold Manhattanville scoreless over the entire quarter to take a 7-4 lead into the half.

The Valiants fought back into the game in the third, as McGrath and Larkin each scored unassisted goals in the first five minutes to pull the home team back within one as Larkin completed his hat trick. Emerson, however, would respond with seven straight goals, six of which came in the third period. Facing a 14-6 deficit in the final 13 minutes of play, Cornelia and Larkin would net one more apiece to close out the game, but the Valiants were unable to make up the lost ground with time working against them, falling 15-8.

Jason Frezza (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Portledge) faced 60 total shots in net for the Valiants, 39 on goal. The graduate goalie made a career-high 24 saves in a hard-fought effort.

The Valiants won seven of the game's 26 faceoffs. Melchi Agyapong (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Hayes) led the team with four. The senior long stick middle was also the team's ground ball leader on the day alongside Frezza with four. Nolan Nye (Emerson, N.J./Emerson Junior-Senior) caused four turnovers, the most for Manhattanville.

Up Next
The Valiants will look for their first home win of the season on Saturday, playing host to Drew University at 1 p.m.

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