WORCESTER, Mass. – Sophomore Ryan Healey (Westwood, Mass.) set a career high for goals scored by keying an attempted comeback, but the Assumption University men's lacrosse team fell to Southern New Hampshire by a 14-13 score on Wednesday afternoon at Brian Kelly Stadium.

Assumption trailed 10-4 in the third quarter and 14-9 in the fourth when Jeremy Handman scored on a man-up goal with 8:51 remaining in regulation following a third faceoff violation by the Greyhounds. However, the hosts stormed back by having four different players find the back of the net in a span of 4:36 to slash the margin down to one.

The Greyhounds had several chances to score to tie the game and would end the game playing a man up after Nick Mattice was called off for a cross check with 34 seconds left. An unforced turnover by an Assumption midfielder when the team was trying to score to force overtime, however, gave the Penmen the ball back with just over 12 seconds left. The visitors were then able to run out the clock on the ensuing clear without having to advance the ball past the midfield line to escape with the one-goal victory.

Southern New Hampshire (2-4, NE10 1-4), which never trailed, and the hosts played an even first quarter by scoring three goals apiece over the 15-minute span. After Chris Valentine scored back-to-back markers to give the Penmen a 3-1 advantage, the Greyhounds came right back by getting markers off the sticks of freshman Cameron Theriault (Westfield, Mass.) and junior Nolan Sheehan (Potomac, Md.).

Beginning with a Valentine strike directly following the opening faceoff of the second, the Penmen quickly found themselves ahead 4-3 and would take a 6-4 advantage into the halftime break.

The visitors continued what would be a streak of five unanswered goals to open up a 10-4 lead in the third. However, Assumption started to come back by ending the frame on a 4-2 run. A Healey rocket in the waning seconds made it 12-8 through 45 minutes of action.

But even though the Greyhounds were able to outscore the Penmen by a 5-2 margin in the fourth, it would not be enough. A penalty for a third faceoff violation would prove to be costly, as Handman man-up goal set up by Valentine as the penalty was expiring would stand as the game-winning marker.

Valentine registered four goals and an assist to lead the offense for Southern New Hampshire, which edged out the Greyhounds 43-42 in shots attempted and 16-15 in faceoffs won. Gennaro Marra, who won all of the Penmen's faceoffs, picked up 10 ground balls and tallied an assist, while Cam Cote caused four turnovers defensively. Goalie Ronan Depaul made 13 saves in net to earn the win.

Healey and Theriault paced Assumption offensively in the loss by recording four goals and one assist apiece. Senior Sean Laughlin (East Sandwich, Mass.) picked up three ground balls and was among four Greyhounds to have two caused turnovers, and sophomore Colin Malone (East Patchogue, N.Y.) stopped 12 shots between the posts.

Assumption (2-6, NE10 1-4) will next face a tough test when it visits No. 2 Le Moyne on Saturday morning at 11 a.m.