MADISON, N.J. – The Manhattanville University men's lacrosse team fell to Montclair State 16-8 on Friday afternoon in the opening round of the 2025 Leanos Cup, hosted by Drew University. The Valiants fall to 1-4 overall on the season with the loss and drop to the consolation game of the four-team bracket on Saturday.
Meeting for the first time in 12 years, the Valiants and Red Hawks played an even opening 15 minutes with a pair of goals for each side. Manhattanville jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with
Tyler Berch (Syosset, N.Y./Syosset) opening the scoring 1:38 into the contest with his seventh goal of the season. After Sebastian Graziano tied things up for Montclair State five minutes later, with things holding steady at 1-1 for the next six minutes. Manhattanville broke the tie following an illegal body check call fiving the Valiants a man-up advantage, with
Dylan Foley (Northport, N.Y./Northport) scoring off a
Dom Janavey (Shrub Oak, N.Y./Lakeland) assist with the numbers on their side with 2:43 left in the quarter. The strike was the junior's first of the season.
The Red Hawks repaid the favor with a man-up goal of their own as Graziano found the netting again in the final minute of the first. Montclair carried the momentum into the second and dominated the quarter, scoring the next four goals to jump out to a 5-2 lead. Chris Ganano stopped the Montclair run with eight seconds left in the half, scoring off a pass from
Drew Palladino (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) to pull the Valiants back within three entering halftime.
The Red Hawks firmly took control in the third, outscoring Manhattanville 6-2. After Max Morosoff and Berch, assisted by
Sean Larkin (White Plains, N.Y./White Plains), traded goals to open the half, Montclair rattled off five-straight goals to take a commanding 12-4 lead. Manhattanville was able to bookend the quarter with a
Nick Corace (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) goal from
Nick Padovani (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) to close out the third.
Corace struck again to begin the fourth to get Manhattanville back to within six, but the Red Hawks were able to build up the lead and run out clock with another four-goal run. Manhattanville brought an end to the day with a goal by Palladino from Berch before Janavey struck in the closing seconds by way of Palladino on a man-up goal.
Joe Ulzheimer (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) made the start in net for the Valiants, making 17 saves across 58:36 of field time while causing a pair of turnovers.
Mike Hopkins (Bedford, N.Y./Fox Lane) played the final 1:24, making a save while surrendering one goal.
In addition to his assist, Padovani had a solid game on the X. The graduate student led all players with 16 faceoff wins and added eight ground balls.
Ulzheimer collected four grounders for Manhattanville, while Berch,
Mike Mooney (Tappan, N.Y./Tappan Zee),
Matthew Newman (Yonkers, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) and
Anthony Cozza (West Harrison, N.Y./Byram Hills) each ended the game with three.
Up Next
The Valiants take on Immaculata on Sunday in the Leanos Cup consolation game at 11 a.m. The Mighty Macs fell to host Drew 9-8 in overtime in Friday's other first round matchup.
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