Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y. – Led by five goals and six points from senior Danny Kugler (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) and five points from sophomore Ryan Maraio (Staten Island, N.Y.), the Mount Saint Mary CollegeMen's Lacrosse held off Bard by a score of 14-13 to claim its eighth straight win. The victory gives Mount Saint Mary 11 on the season, a program record for victories in a single year.
 
After a first period that featured just three goals, the two sides combined for nine tallies in the second stanza, with the Knights scoring six times. The Mount broke open an 8-3 lead at halftime following a 4-1 run keyed by a pair of goals from Kugler.
 
Mount Saint Mary went into the intermission with a 24-18 edge in shots and a slim 15-13 advantage in groundballs. The Mount dominated first half face-offs, winning 11 of the 13 contested over the first 30 minutes of play.
 
Bard outscored the Mount in the third period 3-2 to climb to within 10-7, but the Mount used a three goal run in the fourth to open a 14-9 lead with six minutes left in regulation on Maraio's third marker of the game. Bard answered the run with the final four goals to pull to within a goal in the final half minute, but a Kenneth Gallagher (Northport, N.Y.) face-off win sealed the win for the Mount.
 
Kugler scored five times and assisted on a goal in Tuesday's win with Earle and Maraio each scoring three times. Maraio added a pair of assists in the win with senior Dylan De Meo (Franklin Square, N.Y.) finishing up with a goal and three helpers.
 
Peter Beidl (Clifton Park, N.Y.) led the Mount with six groundballs, while De Meo paced the team with three caused turnovers. Gallagher matched the single game program record for face-off wins for the second time this season with 20 wins on the evening, adding four groundballs.
 
Emmett O'Connell led the Raptors with five goals and six points with Blake Brunley finishing off a strong night with two tallies and three helpers. William Baffuto and Brunley each secured six groundballs, while Michael O'Donnell won 10 face-offs.
 
Christopher Doerr (Pleasantville, N.Y.) earned the win in goal for the Knights with nine saves with Jacob Phillips turning in a strong effort for Bard with 14 stops on the night.
 
Mount Saint Mary finished the game with a 42-37 advantage in shots and a 28-22 edge in shots on goal. Groundballs went to the Knights 30-28 with the Mount doubling up Bard in face-offs 20-10. Mount Saint Mary went 16-for-17 in clearing chances and scored four times with the man advantage.
 
Winners of eight straight, the Knights stand at 11-4 overall on the season heading into their final regular season home game of the season. The Knights play host to USMMA on Saturday with face-off scheduled for 1:00 p.m.