senior day 2024
Brian McWalters | RoadWin Photos
14
Winner Marist MARIST 8-6, 5-4
10
VMI VMI 7-8, 3-6
Winner
Marist MARIST
8-6, 5-4
14
Final
10
VMI VMI
7-8, 3-6
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Marist MARIST 6 3 3 2 14
VMI VMI 1 3 4 2 10

Game Recap: Lacrosse |

VMI falls to Marist in season finale

Gallery

LEXINGTON, Va. – With MAAC Tournament hopes on the line for both schools, the VMI lacrosse team could not keep pace with visiting Marist College as the Red Foxes escaped with a 14-10 win over VMI to end the 2024 season for the Keydets Saturday afternoon at Drill Field #2.
 
Despite the loss, several positives occurred to cap an all-around successful season. On Senior Day, the program recognized the efforts of Jack Liselli, Dylan McNally, Max Redmond, AJ Stamos, Luke McDonald, Owen Houston and Kyle Webster as well as team manager Hank Faircloth.
 
Over the past four years, the group has earned the most wins as a graduating class since 2008 (18 wins), the most wins in back-to-back seasons (13) since 1995-96, and the second-most goals scored in a season (183) since the 1996 campaign. The seven Division I wins is also the most in program history since 1995.
 
With one assist on the day, senior AJ Stamos capped a terrific VMI career by joining VMI's exclusive 50-Assist Club.
 
Game Summary
The Red Foxes jumped out to an early 6-1 lead after the opening quarter including a 3-0 advantage in the opening four minutes of play.
 
The Keydets responded in the second quarter by matching Marist's goal output, 3-3, as the Red Foxes went into the half with a 9-4 lead. Austin English scored twice and Stamos added another in the period to keep VMI in the fight despite a slow start.
 
Luke Rusterucci extended his scoring streak to 34 games – seventh longest individual streak in the nation – with a goal at the 8:12 mark of the third period. English earned a hat trick moments later to cut the deficit to 9-6 with 7:55 to play in the third. After three unanswered Marist goals, VMI ended the period with two goals (English, Moore) to go into the final period down by a 12-8 count.
 
Both teams notched a pair of goals in the fourth quarter for the game's final 14-10 tally. Moore and Rusterucci put in the final goals as the Red Foxes kept VMI scoreless over the final 6:48 to finish out the contest.
 
VMI Head Coach James Purpura
"It was a tough ending to a season that we continued to grow and move the program forward. We started the game slow out of the gates and got behind and had to play catch up, winning the final three quarters. Offensively, we had our chances but needed to finish a few more. Austin English had a big game and helped drive the offense.
 
"Defensively, we settled in after the first quarter. Adam Norris gave us some big saves down the stretch. We just made a few too many mistakes to overcome against a strong opponent. I'm proud of this senior group. They came in and worked hard and I'm confident saying they are leaving this program better than they found it."
 
Inside the Box Score
*Marist and VMI were equal in several categories including 41-40 in shots (Marist) and VMI tallying 26 groundballs to 25 for Marist
*Both squads won 14 of 28 faceoff opportunities
*Marist finished 2-2 on extra-man opportunities while VMI finished 0-9
*English totaled four goals to lead VMI while Rusterucci and Moore both finished with two
*Marist's Joshua Balcarcel led the Red Foxes with four goals with Sean Mullan also contributing a hat trick
*Marist totaled nine penalties on the day to just two for VMI
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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