Hartford, Conn. – The visiting Hamilton College Continentals scored twice in the game's first 12 seconds and never looked back in a 14-11 victory over the Trinity College Bantams in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) men's lacrosse action this afternoon on Jessee/Miller Field.  Trinity drops to 4-10 overall and 1-8 in the NESCAC with the loss in its final home game, while the Continentals improve to 5-9 overall and complete their league slate at 2-8.  Both teams are out of contention for the post-season, and Trinity will close out the year at Amherst on Wednesday, April 23 at 4:30 p.m.

Hamilton freshman midfielder Trip Connors (Chatham, N.J.), 19-for-27 on face-offs for the day, won the first two and assisted sophomore attackman Sam Sweet (Duxbury, Mass.) and junior attackman Connor Morgan (Reistertown, Md.) on goals six and 12 seconds into the game, respectively.  The Continentals scored five more times over nearly a 19-minute span, before Trinity sophomore midfielder Michael McQuiston (Greenwich, Conn.) scored unassisted from the right side to put home team on the board with 8:51 left in the first half.  The teams traded goals back and forth leading into the break, and the Continentals led, 10-3, after the final goal of the second quarter by sophomore midfielder Joe Ricciuti (Norwell, Mass.) with 1:04 on the clock.

Bantam junior midfielder James O'Connell (Middleton, Mass.) scored the first goal of the third quarter during a Trinity man-up situation at the 9:46 mark, and classmate Matt Hauck (Ridgewood, N.J.) added a third Trinity tally with 6:32 left in the third sandwiched around a Continental goal by Morgan. Hamilton scored three of four goals in the opening 3:37 of the final stanza to go ahead, 14-6, before Trinity exploded with five scores in a row to cut its deficit to 14-11 with 4:11 remaining in the contest.  Hauck started the rally with 8:13 on the clock, followed by the Will Benjamin (Garrison, N.Y.) show that saw the senior face-off specialist triple his career scoring total with three unassisted goals in a span of 3:02.  Hauck fed senior attackman Chase Growney (Berwyn, Pa.) for the game's final tally while Trinity played with the extra man, but Connors won the ensuing face-off and the Continentals held the ball until the final minute.

Hauck led the Trinity scoring attack with three goals and one assist, while Growney and O'Connell each scored twice.  Bantam rookie Reid McCool (Gulf Stream, Fla.) notched team-highs of three ground balls and three caused turnovers, while junior goalies Mickey Zaverucha (Duxbury, Mass.) and Riley Cahill (South Glastonbury, Conn.) combined for 17 Trinity saves.  Morgan paced Hamilton with a hat trick plus an assist, while Sweet and senior attackman Paul Armideo (Homer, N.Y.) recorded two goals and two assists apiece.  Connors scooped a game-high nine ground balls and junior Will Driscoll (Riverside, Conn.) made seven Continental saves in goal.  Hamilton outshot Trinity, 52-28, and finished with a 34-to-19 edge on ground balls.  The teams were a combined 7-for-10 during man-up opportunities.