BOX SCORE

When and Where: April 6, 2019 – North Andover, Mass. (Duane Stadium)
Score: No. 4 Merrimack College 16, Southern New Hampshire University 9
Records: SNHU 2-8 (1-6 Northeast-10 Conference), Merrimack 8-1 (6-0 Northeast-10 Conference)

Senior Tom Schutz (Trumbull, Conn.) turned in a four-point performance and redshirt sophomore Neal Murray (Marblehead, Mass.) stopped 21 shots, but a six-goal second quarter propelled No. 4 Merrimack College past the Southern New Hampshire University men's lacrosse team Saturday, 16-9.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS

• Murray established a new career high in saves after stopping a combined 15 shots in the second and third quarters alone.
• Schutz had a hand in nearly half of Southern New Hampshire's goals with a pair of scores and two helpers.
• Freshman Chris Valentine (Derry, N.H.) added two goals for the Penmen in the setback.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Sophomore Mason Barchard (Chester, N.H.) opened the game's scoring just 37 seconds into the first when he converted a feed from freshman Owen McCuin (Hinesburg, Vt.) to give Southern New Hampshire a 1-0 advantage.
• The Warriors responded with a four-goal fun that spanned more than six minutes to take a 4-1 lead with 6:18 remaining in the opening stanza.
• Freshman Tristan Pietz (Dudley, Mass.) stopped the burst with his seventh of the year from sophomore Stephen Dubois (Goffstown, N.H.) at 11:10 before Dubois trimmed the deficit to a single goal with 1:41 to go with help from Schutz.
• Merrimack opened the second quarter with another four-goal barrage to up its lead to 8-3 midway through the frame.
• Valentine potted his first of the afternoon with 5:48 to go in the half before McCuin added his second of the season to draw the Penmen within three at 10:25.
• The Warriors closed the quarter with two more scores, increasing their edge to 10-5 at the half, before tallying three-straight goals to open the third quarter.
• Valentine's second of the day and 14^th of his freshman campaign made it 13-6 through three quarters, and after back-to-back Merrimack goals kicked off the fourth, Schutz deposited two-straight to bring the hosts' lead back to seven. Senior Joseph Mayernik (Pearl River, N.Y.) closed out the Penmen scoring with his second at 8:49.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Senior Andrew Liu (Piedmont, Calif.) finished 16-for-27 at the faceoff X and raked in five ground balls.
• Merrimack outshot SNHU, 55-37, and converted on three of its four man advantages. The Penmen finished 1-for-5 on the man up and finished at a 27-23 disadvantage in shots on goal.
• Four different Warriors collected at least three goals, and Christian Thomas led all scorers with three scores and three assists.

NOTES

• Southern New Hampshire was playing its sixth ranked opponent in eight games.
• The nine goals was the highest goal output for the Penmen since a 14-9 win over the College of Saint Rose on March 9.
• Murray's 21 saves eclipsed his previous career best of 19, which was set on March 24, 2018 against No. 8 Adelphi University.

WHAT'S NEXT

• Southern New Hampshire is back in action Wednesday (April 10) when it welcomes Saint Michael's College to Penmen Stadium for a 7 o'clock faceoff.

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