Kean Edges Castleton, 12-8

Castleton, Vt. (4/20/09) - The Kean University men's lacrosse team powered through in the third and fourth period and defeated host Castleton State College, 12-8, Monday afternoon.

Kean improves to 11-5 with the win while Castleton falls to 8-5.

Senior C.J. Gannon (Morris Plains, N.J.) (pictured right) broke through for the Cougars 3:19 into the contest, scoring his 20th goal of the season, unassisted. Derek Riley answered one minute later off a feed from Kirk Bolduc for the Spartans to tie the score at 1-1. Kean used a 7-3 run that spanned into the second period to take an 8-4 lead on Jazimar Bailey's (Hoboken, N.J.) eighth goal of the season with 2:52 remaining before halftime. Castleton answered with the final two goals before halftime, as Kean headed into the break with a slim 8-6 lead.

Castleton closed in with the first goal of the second half to make it 8-7 as Jake Rick tallied his 11th midway through the third period. It was as close as Castleton would come, however, as Kean outscored the Spartans 4-1 down the stretch to earn the win.

Nine different Cougars found the net, led by Eric Gillar (Milltown, N.J.) and Scott Leathem (Fair Lawn, N.J.) who each had two goals and one assist. Nick Angrisani (Belle Mead, N.J.) also had a pair of goals, while Gannon, Bailey, and Chris DeCarlo (Sandy, Utah) each had one goal and one assist.

Keeper John Gesumaria (Cranford, N.J.) (pictured left) stopped 11 shots in the win, including six in the fourth period to seal the win.

Kean returns home to take on Richard Stockton College in the regular season final on Saturday afternoon in a pivotal Skyline Conference match-up beginning at 1:00 p.m.