For the third straight game the #20 Fairfield University men's lacrosse team needed extra time to earn a win, but win it did, 10-9 over host UMBC. John Snellman put in a Colin McLinden pass 44 seconds into the overtime period to give the Stags a 4-0 start to the year.
It was Snellman's third goal of the game, giving him his third hat trick of the season and second in as many games. Brent Adams netted four goals for the Stags, while McLinden had a goal and three assists in the victory. Sam Snow struck for a pair of goals and Eric Warden added an assist.
UMBC struck first, just 97 seconds into the game, which Adams answered at the 9:51 mark of the first quarter. Phil Poe put the Retrievers back in front with a score 13 seconds later. That 2-1 advantage lasted until Snellman put in consecutive goals at the 4:04 and 3:06 marks of the quarter for a 3-2 Stags edge.
Dave Brown tied the game early in the second quarter, but five minutes later Adams scored his first of the game with 8:17 to play before intermission to give Fairfield the lead back, 4-3, and start a three-goal run. Adams scored again at the 5:04 mark and Snow got into the act at 3:52 to give Fairfield a 6-3 lead that it would take into the locker room.
UMBC scored twice in the opening 3:25 of the second-half to climb back within a goal, 6-5. Snow ended the UMBC run, and started one for the Stags with 6:36 to play in the period. Adams scored the Stags first man-down goal of the year at 5:11 for a 7-5 edge and McLinden netted a goal 1:09 into the fourth to give Fairfield a 9-5 edge. UMBC scored the next four goals of the period, with the last coming with 40 seconds left in regulation to knot the game, 9-9.
Michael Roe won the face-off to start the overtime period and sent the Stags to the victory. Roe was 15-20 at the X on Saturday.
Fairfield is back in action on Wednesday when it travels to Quinnipiac for a non-conference game.
