MADISON, N.J. - The Drew University men's lacrosse team was handed a 17-7 setback by Landmark Conference (LC) foe Susquehanna University in the Rangers' home opener Wednesday afternoon at a sunny Ranger Stadium.

Drew (0-2, 0-2 LC) trailed by only a goal early in the second quarter before the River Hawks scored the final four goals of the period to assume a 9-4 lead at halftime. Susquehanna continued to pull away in the third quarter, when it outscored the Rangers 6-1.

Sophomore Tommy Larmore and freshman Brett Spafford scored two goals apiece for the Rangers while sophomore Craig Wilkie notched one goal and three assists. Senior Miles Savage won 12-of-22 face-offs while senior goalie Michael McGeeney collected nine saves.

Jake Turner scored three goals to lead the River Hawks (1-3, 1-1 LC) while Dan Clandenny made 12 saves.

Larmore, Wilkie, and Spafford all scored in the first quarter. It was a 3-3 game midway through the period following a man-up tally from Spafford, which was also the first goal of his career. But Susquehanna scored the last two goals of the quarter to assume a 5-3 edge.

Larmore struck again with 13:12 left in the opening half to pull the Rangers to within 5-4. But the Hawks scored three goals over a two-minute span midway through the quarter, then converted again with 1:31 on the clock, building their five-goal lead at the intermission.

After Susquehanna scored off the face-off to start the second half, freshman Alex Higgins scored his first career goal for Drew to make it a 10-5 game. However, the visitors scored the last five goals of the third quarter.

Spafford scored his second man-up tally with 9:05 left in the game before Kellum Foster-Palmer scored the final goal of the game for his first collegiate tally.

The same two teams meet again this Saturday at Susquehanna starting at 1 p.m.