Newton, MA – The Lasell College men's lacrosse team kicked off their 2012 season by defeating the visiting Bison of Nichols College, 10-7. The Lasers' ran out to an early 6-1 lead at the half and held off a furious second half rally from Nichols to pick up the win. Junior Dylan Gray (Bayport, NY) scored two goals and assisted on three others, and classmates Jake LaMorte (Walpole, MA) and Ladson Shaello-Johnson (Binghamton, NY) each scored twice for the hosts. Junior Marc Miller (Trumbull, CT) and freshman Michael Bane (North Grafton, MA) each found the net twice for Nichols College while Brian Girard (Norwood, MA) finished with a goal and three assists for Nichols.
Lasell opened the scoring when senior Adam Foss (Billerica, MA) scored unassisted, 1:03 into the first period. The Lasers would add three more goals in the opening period, including a fantastic goal with 0.8 seconds left when Dylan Gray found a cutting Jake LaMorte who fired the ball past Nichols net-minder Scott Gray (Annapolis, MD) to give Lasell a 4-0 lead.
Michael Bane got Nichols on the board 1:10 into the second quarter to cut the deficit to 4-1, but Lasell answered with a pair of goals by Jon Elia (East Lyme, CT) an Ladson Shaello-Johnson fifteen seconds apart to give the Lasers a 6-1 advantage at the half.
LaMorte tallied his second goal of the game 21 seconds into the third quarter and the Lasers looked poised to run away with the contest when Shaello-Johnson scored with 10:34 to play in the third to push the hosts lead to 8-1. Nichols closed the third quarter with three straight goals, getting one apiece from Bane, Brian Girard and Zac Smith (Wilbraham, MA) to cut the deficit to 8-4 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Lasers pushed their advantage to 10-4 on goals from Dylan Gray and Billy Wood (Brewster, NY) with 13:07 remaining in the contest, but Nichols wasn't finished. Marc Miller and Brian Girard found holes in the Lasell defense to again bring Nichols back, making the score 10-6 with 8:49 to play.
Lasell's defense stiffened following the Girard goal to keep their four goal advantage until Marc Miller took a pass from Girard and beat Lasell goalkeeper Don Berube (Tewksbury, MA) with 1:43 to play. The Lasers were able to kill the final seconds to pick up the win.
Don Berube earned the win in goal for Lasell, saving 11 of the 18 Nichols shots on goal and Scott Gray took the loss for Nichols, stopping 6 shots on the day. Nichols will play the second of three straight road games to open their season when the travel to Becker College on Thursday March 8th. Lasell will take the field again on Wednesday March 7th, when they travel to Roger Williams University for a 4pm contest.