MLAX falls, 16-14, at Providence

Box Score (PDF)

PROVIDENCE – Despite a career-high five goals from sophomore Will Foster, the Marquette University men's lacrosse team dropped its BIG EAST Conference opener, 16-14, on Saturday afternoon at a rainy Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium in Providence.

The Golden Eagles (5-4, 0-1 BIG EAST) went up 1-0 on Devon Cowan's goal just 52 seconds into regulation, but allowed Providence to score the final five goals of the first quarter. Foster posted his first of the day early in the second and PC eventually built up a 7-2 lead just two minutes later.

Marquette would get within a pair of goals at the half, but could not get any closer as the Friars (5-5, 1-0 BIG EAST) answered MU's scores throughout the afternoon.

MU attackman Jake Stegman posted a career-high five assists, while Cowan added a hat trick of his own.

Graduate student Matt Grillo, playing in his first game since Feb. 11, scored five goals for Providence, which was outshot by MU, 53-38.

NOTABLE:

Defenseman Mason Woodward secured seven ground balls and caused a pair of PC turnovers. Woodward moved past Zachary Melillo (190 GB; 2016-18) and assistant coach Jacob Richard (193 GB; 2013-16) and into second place all time at MU with 194 ground balls. He still sits behind the program's all-time leader Liam Byrnes (2013-16) at 218.
Saturday was Woodward's fourth game this season with at least seven ground balls.
Foster's career-high five goal performance is just his second career hat trick.
Devon Cowan notched his fourth hat trick of the season and is two points from becoming the fourth Marquette player to reach 100 in his career.
Cowan is now alone in fourth place in MU history with 73 career goals.
Stegman now has 20 assists this season, the most-ever for a Marquette player in a single season.
Stegman's five assists tie a program record, also reached three other times by former Golden Eagles Conor Gately, Kyran Clarke and Russell Melendez.
Stegman has 45 assists in his career and is five behind former USILA All-American Ryan McNamara (50 assists) for second in program history. Conor Gately is the MU record holder with 63 career assists.
Providence goalie James Corasaniti made 19 saves, tying the most in a single game by an opponent against the Golden Eagles.
Marquette holds a 7-4 mark all-time against Providence and is 3-3 when those games are played in Rhode Island.
The Golden Eagles played their first season in the BIG EAST during the 2014 campaign after beginning NCAA Division I play in 2013. On Saturday they began their ninth league season thanks to the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.
Marquette is 5-4 in league lid-lifters and has a 3-2 record when those contests are on the road.
MU is 6-3 through its first nine BIG EAST seasons in its first conference road game each year.
MU faceoff specialist Grant Evans won a season-best 15 faceoffs (15-of-20) and picked up 10 ground balls.
Last season was the first time that MU opened conference play against Providence – MU began league action against Georgetown five-straight years from 2015-19.

UP NEXT:
Marquette returns home for a Saturday, April 8 contest against St. John's before traveling to No. 5 Cornell on Tuesday, April 11. During the month of April, MU will face four teams ranked in the top 15 of the current USILA Coaches Poll.

Keep up with the Marquette men's lacrosse program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteMLax) and Instagram (@MarquetteMLax) and 'liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteMLax).