Union men's lacrosse wins top-5 showdown, improves to 10-0

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

Union's Kieran McGovern handles the ball during a game on Saturday, April 2, 2022.

In a matchup of top-five teams, the Union College men’s lacrosse team held on for a 13-12 win Wednesday at St. John Fisher in Rochester.

The teams were never separated by more than two goals in the non-conference game and were tied at 11 with less than three minutes to go. Keaton McCann broke the game’s final tie with a score off a pass from Peter Burnes with 2:49 to go, then Burnes scored his fifth goal with 1:45 to go off an assist from Kieran McGovern.

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But St. John Fisher didn’t quit. Ian Evans scored with less than 20 seconds to go, then St. John Fisher won the ensuing faceoff. After a timeout, a final shot from Nicholas Miller missed its mark, and Union improved to 10-0 for the first time in program history.

Heading into the matchup, Union was ranked third in this week’s Division III media poll and fourth in the coaches poll.

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St. John Fisher was ranked fifth in both polls.

Besides Burnes with five goals and one assist, Union received a starring effort from goalie Dan Donahue who made 23 saves. Also registering multiple-point games for Union were Hayden Frey and Keaton McCann with two goals apiece, while Brian Davis and Kieran McGovern each had a goal and an assist.

Frey was named the Liberty League Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, while Donahue earned a share of the league’s weekly defensive honor.

Jordan Depetres led St. John Fisher with three goals. With the loss, St. John Fisher fell to 8-2.

For Union, Wednesday’s win came in the first of two high-profile matchups in a four-day stretch for the Dutchmen. This Saturday, Union travels to play RIT, which is ranked third in the coaches poll and fourth in the media poll.

Union 3 3 3 4 — 13

St. John Fisher 3 4 2 3 — 12

Union scoring: Burnes 5-1, Davis 1-1, McGovern 1-1, Frey 2-0, McCann 2-0, Kip 1-0, Georgiades 1-0, Byrne 0-1, Toland 0-1. St. John Fisher scoring: Evans 2-2, Miller 2-2, Mulvihill 2-2, Depetres 3-0, O’Donnell 1-0, Gallina 1-0, Grom 1-0. Goalies: Union, Donahue, 23 saves. St. John Fisher, Hammond, 14 saves.