POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (March 16, 2016) – Defensive brilliance and a near-perfect faceoff percentage paced the Drew University men's lacrosse team past Bard College, 5-2, at a neutral site at Marist College on Wednesday evening.
 
Senior midfielder Steven Cola and freshman midfielder Thomas Garner each netted a pair of goals to back the defensive efforts of sophomore goalkeeper Greg Swenson (10 saves) and junior defender Michael Lloyd (career-high five caused turnovers). Senior faceoff specialist Kevin Cleary won all nine of his draws as Drew (1-3) went 10-of-11 at the X against Bard (2-2). Senior attacker Ben Ludeman added a tally in the victory.
 
Each team controlled the pace of a quarter during the opening half. Drew, needing a quick start as they searched to end the season-opening slide, got it just 1:45 into the contest on a man-up opportunity. Freshman Ryan D'Alessandro fed senior Steven Cola for his first goal of 2016, staking Drew with the 1-0 lead. Only one shot was taken by Bard leading up to Drew's next goal at the 7:37 mark in the first.
 
Both defenses excelled, causing turnovers and picking up grounders back and forth, until Ludeman slotted home his second of the season off a pass from freshman Max Foisey for the 2-0 advantage. From there, Swenson took over with four saves to close out the quarter to protect the lead.
 
Swenson made two more saves to start the second, but Bard broke through at the 8:20 mark to cut the Rangers lead in half, and it took just over a minute for the Raptors to tie the game at 2-2. The equalizer came on a man-up opportunity for the Raptors following Drew's only penalty of the contest.
 
Lloyd did everything he could to get Drew back on the offensive, causing two turnovers in the span of two minutes, the latter of which led to Drew third goal. Despite a saved shot by freshman Brendan Hamm, the ensuing clear failed thanks to an interception by D'Alessandro, who quickly tossed the ball to Hamm.
 
Hamm assisted on the goal, feeding fellow rookie Garner for his second goal of the spring to put Drew up 3-2 with 2:33 to play in the half. Swenson held the lead going into halftime by making three more saves, two on back-to-back shots with under a minute left. Ludeman had the last chance of the half, firing a point blank shot that was saved as the buzzer signified intermission.
 
The Rangers threatened to increase their slim lead with a sequence midway through the third quarter as sophomore Joe Palmieri just missed wide on two shots, Cola's blast hit the crossbar, junior Rich Shahpazian picked up the ground ball and had his follow-up shot blocked. Bard answered a minute later with a barrage of three shots, all of which sailed wide of the target.
 
Drew took the 4-2 lead with just 51 seconds to play in the third quarter after a long Ranger possession resulted in Cola's second tally of the game off an assist from Garner.
 
Cleary's faceoff domination loomed large all game long, but especially to open the fourth and final quarter. The senior won the battle at the X, leading to a two-minute possession that paid off with an insurance goal scored by Garner, his second of the game. Cleary celebrated the Rangers' fifth goal by winning yet another faceoff following the Drew goal.
 
Bard took the next five shots of the game, missing the cage each time. Swenson came up with two more saves, while Lloyd and Nick Miller each caused two turnovers down the stretch to preserve the second half shutout and the victory.
 
The Rangers caused a season-high 14 turnovers as a team and put together a successful clear percentage at 20-for-24. Bard outshot the Rangers, 27-22.
 
The Rangers return home for their next game on Saturday, March 19, when they open Landmark Conference play against The University of Scranton at 1:00 p.m.