PORTLAND, ME – Norwich University (9-3, 9-0 GNAC) defeated Saint Joseph's College (7-9, 6-3 GNAC), 9-4, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men's lacrosse contest at Fitzpatrick Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Monks kept pace with the Cadets for the first three quarters, as the hosts faced a 6-4 deficit going into the fourth frame. In the end Norwich, the only undefeated team in the conference play this spring, netted three unanswered goals in the final quarter to secure the 9-4 triumph.

With the result, Norwich earned the top seed in the upcoming conference tournament and will host #8 seed in a quarterfinal contest. Saint Joseph's has earned the #4 seed and is set to host #5 Emmanuel College in the quarterfinals this coming week.

The Cadets opened play in the same manner the contest was completed – with three-consecutive goals. After nearly nine scoreless minutes of play, Seth Fuller (Wheaton, Ill.), Ian Mendoza (Mount Airy, Md.) and Ian Thomas (Barrington, R.I.) all scored in a matter of four minutes to provide the visitors with a 3-0 advantage.

Saint Joseph's sophomore Andrew Sullivan (Rochester, N.H.) broke the Monks' offensive drought by netting a marker with 25 seconds left in the opening stanza and kicked off the second-quarter scoring with a man-up goal off a Jake O'Brien (Andover, Mass.) feed to cut the hosts' deficit to 3-2 with 9:49 before the break.

Norwich answered with three straight goals yet again, as Mendoza netted a pair of unassisted tallies - the first with 6:20 left in the second and the latter 53 seconds into the third quarter - and Zachary MacMillan (Brunswick, Maine) gave their team a 6-2 cushion with 11:26 left in the third quarter.

Following a familiar theme, the Monks scored twice to lessen the Cadets' lead down to two. Sullivan capped his hat-trick effort with a goal off a Max Meserve (Kennebunk, Maine) pass with 7:22 remaining in the third and Austin Watts (Westbrook, Maine) potted his 13th goal of the season off an O'Brien dish with 13 seconds to go in the third quarter.

The Monks renewed optimism was short-lived however, as the Cadets rattled off three straight scores to claim the win and a perfect in-conference season. Josh Menge (Hagaman, N.Y.) and MacMillan scored just 80 seconds apart and Mendoza closed the game's scoring with his fourth tally of the afternoon with 3:42 left in regulation.

For the Monks, Sullivan netted three markers, senior defenseman Bryan Johnson (Brookline, N.H.) grabbed nine ground balls and caused four turnovers, Watts scored and corralled six ground balls and Meserve contributed an assist and five ground balls in the losing effort.

Saint Joseph's senior goalkeeper Christopher Driscoll (Saco, Maine) made 13 saves and scooped up eight ground balls while manning the net for the Monks.

For the Cadets, Mendoza registered four goals and seven ground balls, MacMillan scored twice and Arron Canarelli (New Hartford, N.Y.) dealt three assists in the triumph. Nate Fortezzo (Branford, Conn.) won 13 of 16 face-off attempts and accumulated nine ground balls and Fuller chipped in with a goal and an assist with seven ground balls on the afternoon.

Norwich keeper Mark Paradiso (Westford, Mass.) made 11 saves in goal for the visitors.

Prior to the beginning of the contest, a brief ceremony was held to honor the Monks' 12 seniors for their vast and varied contributions to the Saint Joseph's College Men's Lacrosse program. Driscoll, Johnson, Bert Comins (Newbury, Mass.), Joseph Connolly (South Portland, Maine), Sam Wenckus (Pittston, Maine), Jack LaFreniere (Alton, N.H.), Marcus Benson (Beverly, Mass.), Blake Doherty (Burlington, Mass.), Jordan Grant (Windsor, Maine), Sean Flanagan (Hingham, Mass.), Kyle Hanson (Portland, Maine) and David Brackett (Windham, Maine) presented gifts to their parents at midfield while a short presentation, in honor of the 2013 graduating class and written by Head Coach Mike Edgar, was read over the PA system.

Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 350-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.