The men’s lacrosse team fell in another tough challenge Saturday afternoon, dropping a 16-7 contest to No. 20 Loyola Maryland University and extending its losing streak to five.
The visiting Greyhounds (5-1 Patriot League, 8-4 overall) seized control early, striking for three consecutive goals without a Leopard (1-5 Patriot League, 5-7 overall) response. Sophomore attacker Ben DiBattista finally broke through for the Maroon and White in the final two minutes of the first quarter off a feed from freshman attacker Charlie Foley.
Sophomore midfielder Joe Duggan added another with 28 seconds left, trimming the deficit to 3-2. However, Loyola stole the momentum right back, sneaking in a goal with three seconds remaining to take a 4-2 lead into the second quarter.
Loyola opened the second with four straight goals to push the margin to 8-2, ultimately collecting six in the period while shutting down Lafayette’s offense. The Leopards’ lone goal came from DiBattista, who took it himself across the middle and buried his second score of the afternoon, but the Greyhounds carried full control with a 10-3 lead at the break.
Faceoffs were the engine of Loyola’s first‑half control, as the Greyhounds won 14 of 15 at X and dictated possession. Lafayette compounded the issue with ball‑security struggles, committing seven turnovers to Loyola’s two.
The third quarter brought more of the same, as Loyola continued to press its advantage. The Greyhounds struck for four of the period’s five goals to stretch the margin even further. Sophomore midfielder Nick Blalock provided the Leopards’ sole answer, slipping in an unassisted goal in the final minute. By the end of the frame, Loyola built a comfortable 14-4 lead.
The Maroon and White showed some late fight in the fourth as the Greyhounds eased off their pedal, outscoring the visitors 3-2 in garbage time. Sophomore attacker Josh Heaney struck twice, including a quick answer just 41 seconds after the Greyhounds took an 11-goal lead. DiBattista completed his hat trick midway through the frame, but the gap was already too wide to close, as Loyola handed the Leopards their fifth straight conference loss.
Senior goalkeeper Joe Doherty made 14 saves for Lafayette, finishing with a .467 save percentage.
Despite the loss, DiBattista continued his standout season, finishing with three goals and his seventh hat trick in 12 games. The sophomore currently has 36 goals on the season, ranking third overall in scoring across the Patriot League.
The Leopards will once again look to regroup ahead of Saturday’s matchup at Boston University (4-2 Patriot League, 6-5 overall), seeking their first win in over a month.