FINAL STATS

Piscataway, NJ – The Wagner men's lacrosse team fell into a 6-0 hole nine minutes into the game and then played on nearly even terms with Rutgers the rest of the way as the Scarlet Knights went on to post a 20-10 victory on a cold, damp and windy day.
 
With the victory, the Scarlet Knights improve to 2-1 on the season while the Seahawks fall to 0-2. Rutgers was the second consecutive BIG EAST opponent that Wagner has faced at the outset of the 2013 season as the Green & White dropped a 17-6 home decision to Providence in the season opener last Friday.
 
Wagner got on the board for the first time with 1:12 to go in the opening quarter on an unassisted goal by senior midfielder Nick DePhillips (Glen Ridge, NJ/ Glen Ridge/ Ohio St.). This tally jump-started a 3-0 Wagner surge, as the Seahawks opened the second quarter with two consecutive goals, to make it 6-3. Sophomore midfielder Cory Santor (Glastonbury, CT/ Glastonbury) had a hand in both goals, first picking up a loose ball deep in the Rutgers end which he then buried from point blank range to make fashion that 6-3 score with 13:07 left in the second quarter.
 
Just 1:53 later, Santor found freshman attack Reed Leclaire (White Rock, BC/ Hill Academy) who sank a 15-yarder from the right wing. Rutgers then closed the half with four unanswered goals to take a 9-3 halftime lead. The Scarlet Knights followed up their four-goal, first-half ending run with four straight goals to open the second half, making it an 8-0 run overall and lifting Rutgers to a 13-4 lead. Wagner would string together six more goals the rest of the way but the cushion was just too large to overcome.
 
Griffen Leclaire, Reed's twin brother, recorded a hat trick and an assist to lead the Seahawks offensively with four points while DePhillips added three points on two goals and one assist. Junior Nicholas Gibaldi (Rocky Poiint, NY/ Rocky Point) had eight saves in goal.
 
Nick DePaolera and Scott Klimchak paced Rutgers with four goals apiece while goalie Kris Alleyne recorded seven saves.
 
Rutgers outshot Wagner 48-28, led in groundballs 38-27 and won 21-of-33 faceoffs. The Seahawks were 4-of-7 in extra-man opportunities while Rutgers was 3-of-6.
 
The Seahawks now have a full week to digest both the Providence and Rutgers game tapes in preparation for its next contest vs. Lafayette, which takes place at Hameline Field on Tuesday, February 19 at 2:00 pm.