SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The No. 17/16 Towson University men's lacrosse team trailed by just a couple of goals most of the way at No. 2 Syracuse but fell to the Orange 18-7 on Monday night.
 
Towson (0-2) got back to within four off a putback goal from Ronan Fitzpatrick to make it 11-7 Syracuse (3-0) after three quarters.  The Orange pulled away in the fourth to win the game.
 
Each of Towson's first two defeats on the season have come against top-10 opponents.
 
Key Stats:

• Ronan Fitzpatrick led Towson with two goals and an assist while Bode Maurer had two goals.  Chop Gallagher led Towson with three assists.
• Luke Downs had the defeat in goal with 11 saves and 18 goals allowed.
• For Syracuse, Luke Rhoa led with four goals while Joey Spallina finished with two goals and four assists.  Goalkeeper Joey McCool had nine saves and seven goals allowed in the win.

How It Happened:

• Luke Downs saved a close range shot on Syracuse's opening possession, but after a turnover forced after a clear, Michael Leo scored close range to put the home team on the board first, adding another on the next possession.  Towson broke the early run with a series of passes from Alex Roussel to Ronan Fitzpatrick to Bode Maurer for the catch and shoot goal to make it 2-1 Syracuse 4:06 in.
• Syracuse hit a pair of shots towards the end of shot clock time to build the lead to three.  More strong passing from Towson led to a second goal as Chop Gallagher found Fitzpatrick in front of the cage for the goal to be 4-2 Syracuse, 5:37 left in the first.
• The pattern repeated itself as Syracuse scored two more, then Mikey Weisshaar netted a goal on a dive across the crease.  Syracuse led 6-3 at the end of the first.
• Towson's defense picked up Syracuse's pressure as Towson forced a couple of turnovers around midfield.  Syracuse kept the advantage and added a goal, then minutes later, Alex Vieni scored on a narrow angle high-to-low shot.  Again Syracuse countered, and again Towson got the goal back as Alex Roussel hit on a rip low while man-up.  Syracuse scored on the next possession to lead 9-5 at the break.
• Each side scored a quick goal into the third as Maurer netted his second of the game from Gallagher.  A hard shot from Roussel slammed the post and prevented Towson from cutting the deficit to three.
• Following back-and-forth play as Towson's three-shot possession came up empty.  Syracuse scored on a man-up possession, then Towson got the goal back as after a saved Chuck Matusek shot, Fitzpatrick pushed the ball into the cage right on the doorstep to bring Towson back within four.  Syracuse led 11-7 after three.
• The Towson defense pushed Syracuse towards the end of the shot clock again to start the fourth, but another Orange goal in the closing seconds of the shot clock pushed the home team lead to five.  Syracuse continued to add to its lead, despite a five-shot possession for Towson, as Syracuse led 14-7 with 9:13 to play.
• Towson could not get closer and fell to the Orange 18-7.

Inside the Numbers:

• Reigning CAA Rookie of the Week Ronan Fitzpatrick has notched multi-goal games each of the first two contests.
• Mikey Weisshaar, with a goal scored, has a point in each of his last 26 contests. 

Next Game:

• Towson returns to Maryland this weekend to take on Navy in Annapolis on Sunday, Feb. 16 at noon.