MIDDLETOWN, R.I. – Junior Sharp Jones (Scituate, Mass.) scored five goals and sophomore Nick LoCicero (Lynbrook, N.Y.) had a goal and five assists as the Salve Regina men's lacrosse team defeated Wentworth Institute of Technology, 11-6, in a Commonwealth Coast Conference contest played at Gaudet Field.
With the win the Seahawks snap a two-game losing streak and improve to 5-6 overall and 3-4 in CCC play while the Leopards drop their second straight to stand at 7-6 (3-4).
Jones put the hosts on the board first with a man-down marker coming with 8:56 left and was the first of four Salve Regina goals to open the game. After being held scoreless for the first 17:45, junior Alec Paradis (Pelham, N.H.) broke the ice for the Leopards. Jones would score two of the next three Seahawk goals to give the hosts a 7-1 lead at the half.
The Leopards scored the first four goals of the third quarter to pull within a pair. Junior Nick Parent (Windham, N.H.) scored a man-down goal with 10:07 left, which was followed by a pair of goals 14 seconds apart. With 6:34 left, senior Ryan Coakley (Flemington, N.J.) scored from sophomore Mike Coakley (Flemington, N.J.) while Ryan Coakley would set up graduate student Zack Nicholson (Cutchogue, N.Y.). Paradis would score a man-up goal from Ryan Coakley with 3:57 left, however Salve Regina closed out the quarter with a man-up goal from sophomore Eric Backus (Mansfield, Mass.) to end the run and make it an 8-5 contest.
Jones would score two goals 1:03 apart to double up Wentworth before Coakley's second of the game made it 10-6 with 11:50 left. The Leopards would get no closer as the Seahawks scored the game's final goal with just under six minutes left.
Sophomore Jake Gonzalez (Tolland, Conn.) won 10-of-19 at the X and picked up five ground balls.
Ryan Coakley finished with two goals and two assists while Paradis had two goals. Junior James Caldwell (New Milford, Conn.) caused two turnovers and picked up four ground balls.
Sophomore Andrew Watkins (Natick, Mass.) made nine saves for Salve Regina with freshman Adam Dufault (Lexington, Mass.) made five stops for Wentworth. Dufault scooped up three ground balls as well.
Wentworth has the first of three straight home games to close out the regular season on Thursday against Norwich. Salve Regina hosts Curry on Saturday.
