MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME MEN’S LACROSSE

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Clean Harbors Stadium, Buzzards Bay, Mass.

FINAL:                    MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 6, SALEM STATE 4

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. --  Junior Dylan Freudenberg (Islip, N.Y.) netted a hat trick and an assist for four points to back a combined 20-save effort in goal from senior Paul Painten (Walpole, Mass.) and freshman Keison Cunningham (Weymouth, Mass.) that lifted Massachusetts Maritime to a 6-4 non-league college men’s lacrosse victory over Salem State Thursday evening at Clean Harbors Stadium.

Tallies by Freudenberg, sophomore Reed McLean (Wilbraham, Mass.) and freshman Sam Jarvis (Laurel Springs, N.J.) in the opening 30 minutes of play staked the host Buccaneers (5-2) to a 3-0 advantage at the break, but third quarter markers off the sticks of sophomore Bobby Bourgeois (Billerica, Mass.) and freshman Travis Kneeland (Rowley, Mass.) enabled the visiting Vikings (2-5) to close back to within one heading into the final frame.  Freudenberg and freshman Ryan McNeill (Burlington, Mass.) collected goals in the opening 4:01 of the fourth quarter to give Massachusetts Maritime a 5-2 edge, but junior Nate Staples (Salem, Mass.) answered just nine seconds later for Salem State to close that gap back to two.  Freudenberg completed his hat trick with 4:10 to play in the match, and a tally by Viking sophomore Ben Melaugh (Billerica, Mass.) just 16 seconds later enabled the visitors to once again creep back to within a pair but get no closer.

McNeill notched a goal and an assist in the triumph for Massachusetts Maritime, which also received a pair of assists off the stick of sophomore Sean Staples (Norwell, Mass.) as well as a helper from fellow sophomore Anthony Kurylak (Exeter, N.H.).  Painten made 12 first half saves to pick up the win in goal for the Buccaneers, who have already matched their win total of last season in just seven outings, while Cunningham added eight stops after intermission for the hosts.  Melaugh added an assist to his goal in finishing with two points in the setback for Salem State, as junior Dylan Svenson (Billerica, Mass.) made six saves in the opening half for the Vikings, who received eight stops from sophomore Dominic Rovetto (Newbury, Mass.) in the final 30 minutes of action.  Salem State outshot Massachusetts Maritime by a 36-35 margin for the contest, but the Buccaneers forced 26 Viking turnovers.

Massachusetts Maritime hosts Babson in the New England Women’s & Men’s Athletic Conference opener for both squads Saturday evening at Clean Harbors Stadium beginning at 7:00 p.m., while Salem State entertains UMass Boston in a Little East Conference match on Saturday afternoon in Salem, Mass. that begins at 1:00 p.m.