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Lacrosse Drops Road Matchup at Detroit, 11-8

DETROIT, Mich. – Despite three goals by Keith Long, VMI fell to the Detroit-Mercy Titans 11-8 in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) men's lacrosse matchup played Saturday afternoon in Detroit, Mich.

Long's three goals were a career high for the sophomore, but the Keydets (2-7, 0-2 MAAC) could not overcome four goals by Detroit's (2-6, 1-1 MAAC) Joel Matthews. The game was marred by a combined 53 turnovers between the clubs, but the Titans took a 5-2 lead with a five-goal run that began midway through the first quarter, and the home team would never relinquish that edge.

The Keydets got off to a strong start, as Tim Moran found Long for a man-up score seven minutes into the game. Long then followed with another goal at the 4:21 mark, and VMI took a 2-0 lead just over 10 minutes into the contest.

The Titans answered back with the game's crucial run, which was started by a Jon Bemben goal. Bemben scored off a Bobby Davis turnover that occurred near midfield, and the marker cut the margin to 2-1 with 3:38 left in the first period. Just over two minutes later, Matthews tacked on the first of his quartet of goals and the game was tied, 2-2, after one quarter of play.

Detroit took the lead for good early in the second period. Off a Sean McCoy save, Matthews forced the VMI keeper into a turnover, grabbed the ensuing ground ball and put a shot by McCoy for a goal, making the score 3-2 just 59 seconds into the quarter. At the 11:06 mark, the Titans would add another marker to go up 4-2, and the run ended with 9:37 left in the quarter as Detroit pulled out to the 5-2 lead.

1:31 later, Colin Bosse found Drew Leonard for VMI's lone goal of the period, as the sophomore notched his sixth of the year to cut the deficit to two. The Titans responded with a score by Tyler Staruch late in the half, allowing the home team to take a 6-3 cushion to the locker room. Virtually every statistical category was even in the first half, with the exception of turnovers. The Keydets committed 16 miscues before halftime, while Detroit posted just nine turnovers.

Detroit continued its hot shooting in the third. After a clear off a save by keeper A.J. Levell, Staruch found John Nowicki for a goal. The marker, scored at 11:23, put the Titans up by four, but the Keydets fired back as a Brett Leonard goal some two minutes later made it 7-4. The rally was short lived, as Nowicki put the Titans back up by four, 8-4, with his second goal of the contest. Jacob Weimer would tack on a goal for VMI to make it 8-5 and start another Keydet comeback attempt.

VMI opened the fourth quarter well, as the visitors were able to cut the Titans' lead to 8-7. Goals by Bosse and Tim Moran, both scored in the first two minutes of the half, put the visiting team on a three-goal run and pulled it back within one. Detroit closed the game well, however, scoring three of the final four goals to put the contest away and account for the final margin.

In defeat, the Keydets were led by Long's three goals and Tim Moran's four points (one goal, three assists). VMI also saw Brett Leonard and Colin Bosse score two points apiece, while McCoy made 11 stops in net. Detroit had seven different players find the back of the net in earning its first-ever conference win.

VMI lacrosse will return to action Saturday, as the Keydets travel to Bronx, N.Y. to take on the Manhattan Jaspers in a MAAC showdown. Game time is set for noon.
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Players Mentioned

Colin Bosse

#4 Colin Bosse

A
5' 10"
Sophomore
Bobby Davis

#12 Bobby Davis

M
5' 11"
Junior
Brett Leonard

#10 Brett Leonard

M
5' 11"
Senior
Drew Leonard

#34 Drew Leonard

A
6' 2"
Sophomore
Keith Long

#7 Keith Long

M
6' 3"
Sophomore
Sean McCoy

#3 Sean McCoy

G
6' 2"
Senior
Tim Moran

#11 Tim Moran

M
5' 9"
Senior
Jacob Weimer

#33 Jacob Weimer

A
5' 10"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Colin Bosse

#4 Colin Bosse

5' 10"
Sophomore
A
Bobby Davis

#12 Bobby Davis

5' 11"
Junior
M
Brett Leonard

#10 Brett Leonard

5' 11"
Senior
M
Drew Leonard

#34 Drew Leonard

6' 2"
Sophomore
A
Keith Long

#7 Keith Long

6' 3"
Sophomore
M
Sean McCoy

#3 Sean McCoy

6' 2"
Senior
G
Tim Moran

#11 Tim Moran

5' 9"
Senior
M
Jacob Weimer

#33 Jacob Weimer

5' 10"
Senior
A