ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Mar. 18, 2019) – The Molloy men's lacrosse team picked up their first conference win of the season, defeating the Spartans of Saint Thomas Aquinas College by a score of 8-5. The Lions now sit at 3-2 (1-1 East Coast Conference), while the Spartans fall to 2-3 (0-2 ECC). Molloy was led by three points from freshman Travis Cooksey (Wantagh, N.Y.) and senior Jon Camposa (Syosset, N.Y.). The rookie netted two markers and added an assist while Camposa scored three goals.

The maroon and white go on the board first, as Camposa found the back of the net early in the first quarter on a feed from junior Casey Kelly (Rockville Centre, N.Y.). STAC would tie the contest three minutes later on an unassisted goal by junior Briele Caples (Rochester, N.Y.). It appeared the Lions would carry a one-goal lead into the second quarter following a Cooksey goal on an assist from sophomore Michael Scheuerer (Farmingdale, N.Y.), but Cooksey fed senior Connor Slane (North Babylon, N.Y.), who scored with just six seconds on the clock to give Molloy a 3-1 lead.

In the second frame, sophomore Mike Durkin (Lake Grove, N.Y.) added another goal for the Lions, increasing the lead to 4-1. Caples added his second of the day before assisting on a goal from sophomore Thomas Hollway (Highland, N.Y.) to bring the Spartans within one as the game went to halftime.

Early in the third, Molloy tacked on two goals as Kelly assisted on a marker by freshman Kevin Pastier (Plainview, N.Y.) before Camposa found the back of the net for his second goal of the day. In the final two minutes of the third quarter, freshman Tyler Senatore (West Haverstraw, N.Y.) brought STAC within two, 6-4, as the teams headed to the final 15 minutes of play.

Camposa completed the hat trick in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter. Cooksey scored his second one minute later, setting the score at 8-4 in favor of the home team. Freshman Paul Rhodes (Highland, N.Y.) scored a man-up goal to give STAC its fifth goal, but the Lions defense held strong in the final minutes of play to seal the 8-5 victory.

Senior Frank Sciulla (Rocky Point, N.Y.) picked up a game-high nine ground balls, going 14-of-17 from the face-off circle. Redshirt senior Jack Matthews (Stony Brook, N.Y.) picked up seven while causing a game-high four turnovers. Cooksey and junior Zach Antonette (Seaford, N.Y.) each picked up five ground balls. Junior Ryan Toomey (Hicksville, N.Y.) made three saves in the win.

Molloy continues ECC action on Saturday (Mar. 25) as they welcome New York Institute of Technology at 3:00 p.m.