Newburgh, N.Y. – The Mount Saint Mary College Men's Lacrosse team opened Skyline Conference play on Saturday with the program's first ever victory over Farmingdale State, topping the Rams 9-7. Senior Dylan De Meo (Franklin Square, N.Y.) led the scoring attack with five points in the game.
 
After falling behind 2-1 midway through the first period, the Knights scored the final two goals of the opening stanza and the only three goals of the second frame to carry a 6-2 lead into halftime. De Meo scored a goal and assisted on a Danny Kugler (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) tally to end the first frame and scored a second period goal along with Tristan Earle (Millrift, Pa.) and Anthony Kearns (Clinton, N.J.).
 
Mount Saint Mary outshot Farmingdale State 23-13 in the opening 30 minutes, including 10-6 in shots on goal. The Knights took a slim 18-16 advantage in groundballs into the intermission, while Farmingdale State won seven of the 10 face-offs taken prior to the break.
 
The visitors sliced their disadvantage in half with two tallies early in the third frame, but the Mount ripped off the next three goals, including a man-up goal from Earle, to surge in front 9-4 with 14:37 left in regulation time. Farmingdale State mounted a final run with three goals in the final 5:13 of regulation, but could never get closer than the final two goal deficit.
 
De Meo moved into the team lead in points with 39 points following his output on Saturday, scoring twice and assisting on three other goals. He leads the team with 22 helpers and has added 17 markers through nine games in his senior season.
 
Earle and Kugler each scored two goals on Saturday for the Knights wit Kearns finishing with a goal and an assist. Earle, Peter Beidl (Clifton Park, N.Y.) and Matthew Martino (Watertown, Conn.) each scooped four groundballs with Beidl and Martino adding a caused turnover.
 
Farmingdale State was led by four goals from James Ragland and received a goal and a pair of helpers from A.J. Sandorfi. Christian Slalter won 11 face-offs for the Rams and paced the team with six groundballs.
 
Christopher Doerr (Pleasantville, N.Y.) picked up the win in goal for the Knights with eight saves, adding a pair of groundballs. Doerr has made 82 stops for the Knights through nine games, earning the decision in each contest. Dan Wood suffered the loss for Farmingdale State with nine stops.
 
For the game, Mount Saint Mary outshot Farmingdale State 38-28 overall and 18-15 in shots on goal. The Knights picked up 31 groundballs in the game, five more than the Rams, while the visitors won 11 of the 20 face-offs. Kenneth Gallagher (Northport, N.Y.) won nine draws for the Knights and picked up a pair of groundballs.
 
Mount Saint Mary finished the game with one tally on the man advantage and went an efficient 14-for-15 in clearing chances.
 
At 5-4 overall and 1-0 in Skyline Conference action, the Knights will step outside of conference on Tuesday when they travel to Wilkes. Face-off with the Colonels is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.