TOWSON, Md. – A slow start hurt the No. 14 Towson University men's lacrosse team as the Tigers clashed for a 60^th time with local rival No. 12 Loyola. The Tigers mounted a comeback bid in the second half, but fell short 11-7 in the team's 2017 home opener at Johnny Unitas ® Stadium.
 
How it Happened

• Towson scored the game's opening goal as Mike Lynch netted an unassisted marker at 13:59.
• Loyola responded with three straight goals to close out the first quarter with a 3-1 lead. Romar Dennis scored from Pat Spencer on the man advantage at 8:11 after Towson's Cole Robertson was charged with a 30-second push with possession.
• Brian Begley continued Loyola's scoring with an unassisted goal at 3:02. With 11 seconds remaining in the quarter, Jordan Germershausen scored from Spencer.
• The Greyhounds went on a 3-1 scoring run in the second quarter to hold a 6-2 advantage at the half. Jay Drapeau scored from Spencer at 12:15 to open the run.
• Towson responded with a goal from Lynch, assisted by Brian Bolewicki at 5:57.
• Germershausen scored unassisted at 5:13, while Begley capped the Greyhounds' run with a goal from Jared Mintzlaff at 4:25.
• The Tigers and Greyhounds traded goals during the third quarter as Towson closed the scoring gap to three goals, 9-6 after 45 minutes of play.
• Towson's Tyler Mayes was charged with an illegal body check penalty in the third quarter that led to a man-up goal by Loyola's Alex McGovern, assisted by John Duffy to give Loyola a five-goal lead over the Tigers, 7-2.
• Ryan Drenner scored his first of the game, unassisted at 5:52 after Joe Seider had two chances that went wide right.
• Dennis responded with a goal from Brian Sherlock at 4:43 to increase Loyola's lead back to five goals, 8-3.
• Drenner got his second unassisted goal of the game at 3:46. Spencer responded 18 seconds later, scoring his first of the game from McGovern.
• Zach Goodrich closed out the third quarter scoring with an unassisted goal with 2:11 left on the clock.
• Tyler Konen opened the fourth quarter with a pair of goals assisted by Seider. Konen scored his first goal at 12:10 before netting his second just under nine minutes later with 3:23 to play. Loyola killed off an illegal Drapeau body check during that span. The pair of goals from Konen brought the Tigers within two goals of the Greyhounds, 9-7.
• The Greyhounds responded with two goals by Germershausen to clinch the win over the Tigers. Germershausen scored from Spencer on a 30 second stall warning at 1:57 before scoring the game's final goal from Jared Mintzlaff with a minute left on the clock.

 
Behind the Numbers

• Towson outshot Loyola 43-29, marking a third-straight game the Tigers have taken 40 or more shots. Seider had a career-high 15 shots for the Tigers.
• Alex Woodall went 13-of-22 at the faceoff X while his counterpart, Graham Savio won nine. It is the third-straight game the Tigers have won more faceoffs than its opponent.
• Drenner finished with two goals for the Tigers. He has scored twice in all three games for Towson this season.
• Lynch and Konen both netted their first goals of the season, finishing with two apiece.
• Tyler Young snapped up a career-high six groundballs for the Tigers.
• Josh Miller made five stops in goal for the Tigers, while his counterpart stopped 16 Towson efforts.
• Loyola capitalized on extra-man opportunities, scoring on two of its four chances. The Tigers were held scoreless in both of its man-up chances.

 
Up Next for the Tigers

• Towson remains in the Greater Baltimore Area on Saturday for a clash at UMBC.
• Opening faceoff is slated for noon at the Retrievers' UMBC Stadium.
• John Stark will have the play-by-play on the Towson Sports Network, with Hunter Lochte on air as an analyst.

 
- TowsonTigers.com –