For the first time since 2014, the Siena Men's Lacrosse team has begun their MAAC season with a 3-0 league record. They took down the Canisius Golden Griffins on Saturday afternoon, pulling out a tight 9-8 victory behind the three-goal performance of senior Keenan Cook. The win would also be the Green and Gold's fourth win in a row.
 
Siena (5-2, 3-0) was led by Cook's three goals, along with a three-point day from junior Dylan Pantalone who scored twice and collected an assist. Junior Brendan Johnson also scored twice, with reigning MAAC Offensive Player of the Week Jack Kiernan collecting a single goal on the day. Graduate student Aaron Lewis made six saves in net, as he grabbed his fifth win of the season.
 
Canisius (4-4, 0-1) saw a trio of two goal games from Layne Collins, Jacob Buck, and Jake Lemon. Mario Caito and Mathu Boissonneault also scored for the Golden Griffs, and each finishing with three points as they added a pair of assists apiece. Goalie Brad Nordstrom made 11 saves in net in the loss.
 
The Golden Griffs scored first, but didn't hold the lead for long. With their opening score coming at the 12:23 mark, Jason Zou would respond just six seconds later as he won the faceoff, raced up the middle, and scored to tie things up at 1-1. Both sides traded goals the rest of the 15 minutes, as it stood 3-3 after one quarter of play.
 
The home squad offense broke through with some slim breathing room to open the second quarter, as Canisius used a pair of goals from Lemon to take a valuable 5-3 lead. But with just 1:25 on the clock before the half, Johnson would let one rip and bring the Saints within one, 5-4, going into the half.
 
Siena would be the first to respond out of the locker room, as Pantalone scored to bring things even at 5-5 before Canisius took the lead back almost two minutes later to go up 6-5. However, Kiernan would score with 1:33 reminaing in the third quarter to re-tie the game at 6-6 before Pantalone scored with 12 seconds remaining in the quarter to give Siena the 7-6 advantage heading into the fourth.
 
Cook would be the catalyst down the stretch, scoring with 12:21 to play to give the Saints their biggest lead of the day at two goals for an 8-6 lead. He then delivered, what seemed to be, the dagger with 2:41 to play as the Saints held a three-goal lead. It would be the biggest advantage by either side up to that point.
 
However, Canisius did not go quietly, scoring just 12 seconds later to come back within two, making it 9-7 with 2:29 to play. The Griffs would add another score with 2:04 to play, coming within a goal at 9-8. But the Saints were able to hold on, taking the win as Tommy Pulzello forced a Canisius turnover with just over 30 seconds to play in the game.
 
The Green and Gold would outshoot the Griffs by a 40-20 margin. The Saints also caused 21 Canisius turnovers, and won the ground ball battle 30-22.
 
Siena returns to action next week on Saturday, March 30 when they return home to Hickey Field as they face Quinnipiac at 3 p.m. in the back end of a double header with the Siena women's lacrosse team.