Cortland, N.Y. - May 6, 2015 - The Springfield College men's lacrosse team dropped a 9-8 decision to Cortland in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Championship on Wednesday afternoon.

The loss snapped the Pride's seven-game winning streak and it ends its season with an 11-8 record.  The Red Dragons, who were ranked 10th in the latest USILA Division III National Poll, improve to 15-4.

Playing in his final collegiate lacrosse game, midfielder Bryce Serriello (Cape Cod, Mass.) once again carried the offensive load, netting three goals, while Tom Hurley (Goffstown, N.H.) scored a pair of goals in the third quarter.  Dylan Sheehan (Massapequa, N.Y.), who was named the NEMWAC Player of the Year earlier this week, tacked on two assists, and in his first NCAA appearance, goalkeeper Chris Santaniello (West Springfield, Mass.) kept the Pride in the game throughout, posting 11 saves.

Springfield found themselves trailing 4-1 midway through the first quarter, with Kevin Sainte (Lexington, Mass.) providing the visitors lone tally at the 10:13 mark.

However, Springfield's offense would hit its stride, stringing together the final four goals of the first half to head into the locker room with a 5-4 advantage.

Serriello got his hands free for his first marker of the game with 4:41 left in the opening quarter, before Sheehan found Tony LaGuerre (Shrub Oak, N.Y.) all alone on the crease with 3:30 on the clock.  Just 23 seconds later, Brendan Boss (West Springfield, Mass.) netted home a strike in transition and the teams were even at four after a back-and-forth first quarter that featured a combined 28 shots and eight goals.

Things slowed down considerably in the second quarter, as the teams managed just nine shots.  Springfield's defense was sensational in the stanza, and Serriello gave Springfield its first lead of the afternoon with 5:06 left in the half as he dodged down the right alley and let loose his second goal of the day.

Cortland opened up the second half with with back-to-back goals to regain a 6-5 lead, only to have Serriello deliver a lefty finish at 7:49 to tie the game at six.   The Red Dragons went back on top 50 seconds later, but consecutive strikes from Hurley allowed Springfield to take an 8-7 lead into the fourth.  The first-year attackman ripped a low-to-high unassisted goal at 5:47 before finishing in transition off a Sheehan feed with just four ticks on the clock.

A Red Dragon goal just 1:42 into the final quarter tied things up for the final time before Matt Saslov's third of the afternoon proved to be the game winner as the hosts held on for the one-goal victory.