The leading scorer in Liberty League play, junior Brian Hanlon (Marcellus, NY) added to his conference-high totals with six points, including five goals, to lead the Clarkson University Lacrosse team to an 11-10 win over Skidmore at Hantz Field on Saturday afternoon in the final game of the regular season.
With their second straight victory the Golden Knights claim the fourth and final seed in the Liberty League playoffs and will face regular season champion St. Lawrence in Canton on Friday May 5 in the opening round of postseason action. Clarkson owns a 5-9 overall record and finished with a 3-3 mark in conference play.
Defending league champion, Skidmore closes out the season with a 6-7 overall record and a 2-4 Liberty League mark.
In a tight game throughout the entire 60 minutes, Clarkson made the most of its extra-man opportunities, going a perfect 6-6 in man-up situations for the difference in the one-goal win. Tied 10-10 in late in the fourth quarter, Hanlon tallied the game-winner with 2:14 left off sophomore Steve Kennedy’s (Niskayuna, NY) third assist of the game, while the Knights had the extra man.
The Thoroughbreds held a 3-2 lead after the opening 15 minutes and traded three goals apiece with Clarkson in the second quarter to lead 6-5 at the half. The Knights opened up the third quarter by outscoring Skidmore 4-2 to go on top 9-8 through 45 minutes of play.
Hanlon, who is averaging 5.66 points per game in league play, scored both Clarkson goals in the fourth quarter. He finished with 26 goals and eight assists in six Liberty League games.
Freshman Corey Reinhart (Albany, NY) chipped in two goals, while Kennedy, senior Bryan Johnson (Newark, NY), and freshmen Greg Gibbons (Baldwinsville, NY) and Thomas Ross (Adams, NY) scored one goal each in Clarkson’s attack.
Sam Allen paced Skidmore with three goals and one assist.
Skidmore out shot Clarkson 36-25, but sophomore Greg Lamb (Baldwinsville, NY) came through with another strong effort in the Knights’ goal with 14 saves to post his third win of the year. James de Gorter finished with 10 stops for the Thoroughbreds.
Skidmore held a 42-29 advantage on groundballs and controlled faceoffs, winning 14-25. Senior defenseman Nate Glenney (Milan, NH) picked up a game-high six groundballs for the Knights.
