PURCHASE, N.Y. – The 2025 men's lacrosse season got off to a strong start on Saturday afternoon as the Manhattanville University Valiants picked up a12-9 win on opening day over the University of Saint Joseph. The Valiants open the season 1-0 for the fourth straight year as the team earns its first-ever victory over the Blue Jays. 

Saint Joseph opened the day with three straight goals early in the first quarter, but seven straight Valiant goals put the home team in front with a lead it wouldn't surrender. Dom Janavey (Shrub Oak, N.Y./Lakeland) shined in his first collegiate start as the senior led the Valiants with a four-point afternoon, getting the run started with the team's first goal of the season with 4:19 left in the first. Michael Swift (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) tied the game up at 3-3 with a pair of tallies in the final 80 seconds of the opening stanza to begin anew entering the second.

It was all Manhattanville over the first eight minutes of the second quarter as the Valiants continued their run with four more goals. Tyler Berch (Syosset, N.Y./Syosset) spotted the Valiants their first lead of the year with a man-up goal assisted by Swift with 13:33 left in the half. Frank Tallerico (Monroe Township, N.J./Monroe Township) then played his way onto the scoresheet with a goal 47 seconds later before he picked up the assist on Berch's second of the day and Janavey found the netting for his second tally courtesy of Drew Palladino (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh). The barrage put Manhattanville up 7-3 with seven minutes left in the half. Aidan D'Amato brought an end to the run a minute later before both teams added a goal over the final three minutes of the half. Palladino scored for the Valiants off a Janavey feed while D'Amato accounted for the final tally of the second to make it an 8-5 game in favor of the Valiants at the half.
 
The attack slowed down on both sides in the second half with just eight total goals scored across the final 30 minutes. The Blue Jays held the upper hand in the third, outscoring the Valiants 3-1 to make it a one score game entering the fourth. Kevin Carr notched the first tally of the half for Saint Joseph before Janavey earned his first career hat trick following an assist from Nick Corace (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville). D'Amato scored a pair of goals from Christian Decker in the final 90 seconds to cut the Valiant lead down to a single goal, 9-8.
 
Manhattanville responded by scoring three unanswered goals to open up the fourth and regain control to close out the win. Sean Larkin (White Plains, N.Y./White Plains) netted back-to-back tallies while Corace logged one final insurance goal to put the Valiants up 12-8 with five minutes left to go. The Blue Jays could only get one goal back over the remainder of regulation as Manhattanville closed out an impressive win to start the year.
 
Returning to the field after missing the final three games of last season due to injury, Joe Ulzheimer (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) looked to be back in top form as the junior earned the win in the cage. The Valiant goalie made 17 saves  to secure his 12th-career victory.
 
Matt Bundy (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson) led the way defensively for Manhattanville with seven ground balls and a caused turnover. Tim Beahm (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North) was the lone Valiant to force multiple turnovers, finishing with a pair along with two ground balls.
 
Faceoffs were an even battle, with the Blue Jays holding a slight 13-12 advantage. The Valiants' faceoff pairing of Nick Padovani (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) and Aaron Goldstein (Walden, N.Y./Valley Central) each won six draws.
 
Up Next
The Valiants hit the road next weekend to take on Dean on Saturday at noon.

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