WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 3, 2017) – The third-seeded Drew University men's lacrosse team was bounced from the Landmark Conference Championship by No. 2 The Catholic University of America by a 13-6 score in the semifinals on Wednesday evening.
 
By the Numbers: The Rangers' record falls to 8-7, while the two-time defending Landmark champion Cardinals (14-2) advance to the title game on Saturday at top-seed Elizabethtown.
 
Top Performers
• Drew's usual suspects on attack took over in the playoffs. Sophomore attacker Ryan D'Alessandro netted a hat trick, the first of the season and third of his career, while junior attacker Jack Crowley scored a pair of goals. Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year Seamus O'Connor added a tally in the semifinal.
• Junior Joe Palmieri helped the Rangers win the faceoff battle by taking 13-of-21 at the X.
• Senior defender Michael Lloyd assisted on two goals, grabbed three groundballs and caused two turnovers to set the program career record in the statistical category at 79.
 
The Difference: Catholic's quick start. The Cardinals scored five straight and pitched a shutout in the first quarter to lead 5-0 and put the Rangers in a hole they could not climb out. Dating back to Catholic's 7-3 win over Drew in the regular season, the Cardinals scored 12 straight goals spanning those games.
 
Highlights
• The tide started to turn in the second period when senior Tom Cotroneo found Crowley in front of net for the Rangers' first score, followed less than three minutes later by D'Alessandro's man-up tally off a feed from Lloyd. Senior goalkeeper Teddy Sweeney and the Drew defense kept Catholic off the board in the quarter as they trailed 5-2 at half.
• Catholic started the third just as the first, with a quick goal that started a scoring run. The Cardinals outscored Drew 4-0 in the period to lead 9-2.
• The Rangers had another comeback in them in the fourth with three straight goals, two D'Alessandro markers sandwiching O'Connor's tally. Drew trailed 10-5 with 11:35 to play.
• Catholic scored twice within 22 seconds to ice the game with a 12-5 lead and 10:12 remaining.