RIVERDALE, NY – Siena Men's Lacrosse continued its heart-pumping season with an 11-8 victory over top-seeded Manhattan in the MAAC Semifinals on Thursday and will now be making its seventh title game appearance in school history when it plays its I-87 rivals Marist on Saturday at 11 a.m. on ESPNU at Manhattan's Gaelic Park.
The fourth-seeded Saints (9-6) are 3-3 all-time in the MAAC Championship with championship titles coming in 2014, 2011 and 2009. It is the first title appearance for head coach
Liam Gleason in his five seasons at the helm.
Tickets for the game as well as all MAAC Lacrosse postseason games can be bought on:
bit.ly/40Xux43
General ticket admission cost $10. Student tickets, senior\ tickets (age 65+) and youth tickets (children age six and under) are only $5.
The game will be broadcasted by Jay Alter and Jules Heningburg.
In the team's previous meeting against Marist, the Red Foxes won 14-11 in an electric atmosphere that was nationally televised on ESPNU.
Marist (9-7) got three goals from Jojo Pirreca and two goals apiece from Joshua Balcarcel, Jamison Embury, Peter Murray and Jake Deacy.
The Saints were led by sophomore
Ryan McCarthy's hat trick and two goals each from
Zac Schuette and
George Rusnak.
Siena's nine wins are the most the team had had since it last won the MAAC Championship in 2014. The Saints are 3-0 all-time in the postseason against Marist including 1-0 in the title game with its win in 2014.
Sophomore
Pratt Reynolds has scored eight goals in the two playoff wins for the Saints while goalkeeper
Christopher Yanchoris had held postseason opponents to 9.50 goals allowed per game.
Reynolds ranks fourth in the MAAC in goals with 35.
Christian Watts is fifth with 33 goals scored. McCarthy now leads the MAAC in assists with 26.
Pirreca leads the MAAC in goals scored with 43. Embury is tied for third in the MAAC in assists with 24.
The winner will earn the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament and will await their opponent and destination on Sunday night at 9:30 p.m.
The 15 conference champions and 14 at-large bids make up the field.
The top eight seeds are ranked with the top three teams earning the bye.
