TOWSON, Md. – The last time the No. 11 Towson hosted Fairfield, it was an offense-heavy contest as the two teams combined for 29 goals. Saturday's game was a different story.
 
Defense reigned supreme as top-seeded Towson claimed its second-straight Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Men's Lacrosse Championship with a 4-2 victory on its home field at Johnny Unitas ® Stadium.
 
Two defensive players were named to the All-Tournament Team for the Tigers as Tyler White, a redshirt senior goalie, was joined by starting close defenseman Nick Gorman, along with attackman Spencer Parks. Senior defender Mike Lowe was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player after shutting down the league's Co-Player of the Year and leading scorer Colin Burke.
 
It was the lowest-scoring Championship Game since the CAA began hosting a conference Tournament in 2002. The 2016 title is Towson's sixth CAA crown since joining the league in 2002, twice as many tournament championships as any other CAA member.
 
How It Happened

• After coming out hot against No. 4 Drexel in the Semifinals on Thursday, Towson was sluggish in the first half as Fairfield kept the Tigers off the board for the first 30 minutes. It was the first time Towson was without a first half goal since April 12, 2014 against Penn State.
• The game was scoreless through the first 15 minutes before Charlie Schnider from Fairfield broke the stalemate at 13:11 of the second. Charlie Horning doubled the lead at the midway point of the second quarter on a Burke assist, his only point of the day. Entering the game, Burke combined for 10 goals and four assists at Unitas ® Stadium this season.
• The first half ended with a 2-0 Fairfield (9-8) lead in the Stags first-ever CAA Championship game appearance.
• Unbeknownst to Fairfield, Horning's goal would be the final Stag tally of the day. Towson ripped off four unanswered goals to finish the game, sparked by an extra-man strike from junior middie Tyler Konen. Parks kicked the pass over to Konen who ripped a worm-burner past Fairfield's Tyler Behring.
• Junior attackman Joe Seider tied the game at 2-2 with his 31^st strike of the season with 3:09 to go in the third. Classmate Ryan Drenner hit for the assist as Seider extended his goal-scoring streak to 21 games.
• Parks was the ice man, putting Towson on top for the first time in the game with a tally at 1:40 of the third. Freshman midfielder Jon Mazza had what proved to be the game-winning assist.
• A native of Fallston, Maryland, Parks added an insurance goal in the fourth, the period's only marker, with 6:10 to play on an unassisted goal.
• Redshirt senior and Senior CLASS Award finalist Tyler White made clutch saves down the stretch, bringing his total to 15 for the contest, including five in the fourth period.

 
Behind the Numbers

• Towson picked up its 14^th win of the season, the most for the program since going 14-4 in 2001 en route to the NCAA Final Four.
• White picked up his 34^th win for the Black & Gold, becoming the winningest netminder in CAA history. He pulled ahead of Drexel's Mark Manos and UMass keeper Tim McCormack.
• After turning the ball over four times in the first period, the Tigers settled down and committed just five turnovers in the remaining 45 minutes. Fairfield had 12 turnovers, half of which were forced by Tiger defenders, including two by Mike Lowe.
• Groundballs were even as both teams picked up 24. Close defenseman Andrew Cordes had a Towson-high five groundballs in the game.
• Towson claimed its sixth CAA title and third under the direction of head coach Shawn Nadelen. The Tigers are the first team to repeat as CAA Champions since Delaware claimed back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011.
• Towson will make its 13^th NCAA Tournament Appearance by way of the CAA's Automatic Qualifying bid.
• The Tigers are the first No. 1 seed in the league's tournament to win the crown since UMass won the 2012 title at Garber Field in Amherst, Massachusetts.

 
Up Next For Towson

• Towson awaits its next opponent as the NCAA Selection Show will be aired Sunday evening at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
• Check local listings for ESPNU information and return to TowsonTigers.com for updated NCAA.
• Information about the Tigers' next opponent will become available following the selection show, as well as broadcasting information and how to purchase tickets.

 
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