Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Canisius University Athletics

#Griffs The Official Home of the Canisius University Golden Griffins | #Griffs
Canisius goaltender Matt Vavonese makes a save during game action versus Cleveland State at the Demske Sports Complex on March 6, 2022
www.tomwolf.smugmug.com
4
Canisius CAN 2-10, 1-3 MAAC
6
Winner Monmouth MON 5-5, 2-2 MAAC
Canisius CAN
2-10, 1-3 MAAC
4
Final
6
Monmouth MON
5-5, 2-2 MAAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Canisius CAN 2 0 0 2 4
Monmouth MON 2 2 1 1 6

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse |

Men’s Lacrosse Defeated in Defensive Battle at Monmouth

Matt Karsian tallied a goal and two assists to pace Monmouth in a 6-4 victory over Canisius in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men's lacrosse action Saturday at Kessler Stadium in West Long Branch, N.J.
 
Karsian highlighted a balanced Hawks (5-5, 2-2 MAAC) attack that saw six different players find the back of the net in the win as Devin Pipher also notched multiple points, finishing with a goal and an assist. Noah Lode made 12 saves between the pipes for Monmouth.
 
Juniors Kyle Brunsch and Jackson Naylor, sophomoresKeegan Kozack and redshirt freshman Colin Kelly scored for the Golden Griffins (2-10, 1-3 MAAC). Junior Jackson Naylor dished out two assists while graduate goalie Matt Vavonese finished the contest with 18 saves.
 
The teams traded goals in the opening quarter as Kelly and Kozack struck for Canisius while Garrett Klurman and Connor Macrae countered for Monmouth.
 
The Hawks took their first lead of the game less than three minutes into the second quarter on a goal from Pipher before Karsian closed out the first-half scoring with his third of the campaign to give the hosts a 4-2 lead at the break.
 
Monmouth extended its advantage in the third as Andrew Duswalt scored from distance with eight seconds remaining in the frame to make it a three-goal game.
 
Canisius attempted to mount a comeback in the fourth, with Brunsch and Naylor recording goals a little more than two minutes apart during the early stages of the stanza to make it a 5-4 contest.
 
The Hawks kept the Griffs off the scoreboard the rest of the way while an unassisted effort from Mike McIntyre with just over five minutes to play provided some insurance as Monmouth held on for the two-goal victory.
 
Head Coach Mark Miyashita's Postgame Comments
"Our 6-on-6 defense played really well and we got a tremendous game from Matt Vavonese with 18 saves for us. We can't ask for much more in terms of the defensive effort. Unfortunately, as an offense we did not shoot the ball very well and as an overall group, we did not take care of the ball in the middle third of the field the way we did needed to, especially late in the third and throughout the fourth quarter. We got some great stops and we just needed to make a simple clear, get the ball up field and we failed at that a couple times and the offense rushed things a few times when they didn't need to. So, it was unfortunately a self-inflicted loss here today by the mistakes that we made.
 
"Our shot selection was terrible today. We did not adhere to the game plan on that and it's obvious, because we only scored four goals, so that puts a huge burden on the defense. We've got to find a way to come together as a team and play as a unit in all three phases: offense, defense and transition. We're still searching for that.
 
"We know we're in the hunt. We talked about that today in the locker room. We have a decision to make as a group about which direction we're going to go. Are we going to accept the challenge here down the stretch? We need to win out and obviously it starts with Marist next week. We need to do what we need to do to put ourselves at least in the conversation. That's up to the guys in the locker room about how we're going to band together here down the stretch."
 
Game Notes
• Saturday's game served as the eighth meeting between the two programs. Monmouth snapped a two-game losing skid to Canisius as it stretched its lead in the all-time series to 5-3.
• Monmouth out-shot Canisius, 37-27, for the contest, highlighted by a 9-3 edge in the third quarter.
• Monmouth was a perfect 22-of-22 in clear attempts while Canisius was just 19-of-24.
• Vavonese recorded double-digit saves in a game for the ninth time this season and the 14th time in his career. His 18 saves were one off his career high of 19, set against Vermont on March 26.
• Brunsch tallied his second career goal with his fourth-quarter tally.
• Conry recorded multiple assists in a game for the second time this season with his two-assist performance on Saturday.
 
Up Next
Canisius plays its final home game of the regular season April 23 when it welcomes Marist to the Demske Sports Complex for a noon matchup. The game will serve as the program's Senior Day, with the team honoring its senior and graduate student-athletes in a ceremony prior to the start of the contest.
 
For all the latest updates on Canisius men's lacrosse, be sure to follow @GriffsMLax on Twitter and Instagram.
Print Friendly Version