PURCHASE, N.Y. – Fueled by a career-high seven goal outing by
Tyler Berch (Syosset, N.Y./Syosset), the Manhattanville University men's lacrosse team was victorious to open Skyline Conference play on Saturday afternoon, taking down Purchase by a final of 19-4. The win snaps Manhattanville's eight-game skid, improving to 2-8 while opening the conference slate with a win for the first time since 2022.
It was all Manhattanville from the jump, as the Valiants outscored Purchase 7-0 in the opening quarter. Berch provided two of the tallies, a total match by
Sean Larkin (White Plains, N.Y./White Plains) in the first 15 minutes.
Chris Gragnano (Lynbrook, N.Y./Lynbrook HS),
Jake Strobel (White Plains, N.Y./White Plains) and
Matt Bundy (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson) added the insurance with a goal apiece.
While
Michael Swift (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) was held out of the goal column, the graduate student picked up three of his six assists in the contest in the first quarter. He becomes the 12
th Valiant ever with six or more assists in a game, the first since Will Duval dished out seven helpers in 2018.
Larkin and
Anthony Cozza (West Harrison, N.Y./Byram Hills) each picked up an assist in the dominant first quarter.
Manhattanville's scoring run continued as Berch notched the hat trick 1:06 into the second off a feed from
Dom Janavey (Shrub Oak, N.Y./Lakeland). The Panthers broke the shutout with 10:59 left in the half off a Zach Collins goal before the Valiant attack shifted back into high gear with five goals in the final five minutes of the half. Berch continued his phenomenal play with three of the tallies, scoring even-strength from Swift, man-up unassisted, and shorthanded from Larkin. Bundy also added a man-down goal from
Matthew Newman (Yonkers, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) before
Drew Palladino (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) scored with nine seconds left on Swift's fifth assist of the half to put the Valiants up 13-1.
Comfortably in front, the Valiants outscored Purchase 6-3 over the final 30 minutes to close out the win. Janavey, Strobel, and Palladino carried the scoring run into the third, extending the lead up to 16-1. The Panthers got back on the board with Collins' second of the game before Berch closed out the quarter with his seventh goal of the game.
Ian Denzer () collected his first collegiate goal in the fourth quarter from Janavey before
Dylan Foley (Northport, N.Y./Northport) closed out the convincing win with his third of the year on Berch's second assist of the game, wrapping up a nine-point performance for the junior.
Joe Ulzheimer (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) improved to 2-7 on the year, playing the first half in net and allowing just one goal.
Mike Hopkins (Bedford, N.Y./Fox Lane) manned the net for the third, making two saves and allowing one goal, while
Elijah Bell (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) made three saves with two goals allowed in his first appearance of the year in the fourth.
The Valiants were absolutely dominant on the X, winning 26 of the game's 27 faceoffs.
Aaron Goldstein (Walden, N.Y./Valley Central) won all 13 draws he took and collected 10 ground balls, while
Nick Padovani (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) won 13 of his 14 draws, earning five grounders.
Shea Madden (Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich) had a career-high eight ground balls, while Cozza added six.
Madden would also force a team-high three caused turnovers, with Berch and Newman each finishing with two.
Up Next
The Valiants head to Throggs Neck on Wednesday to take on Maritime at 7 p.m.
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