Eddie Noonan with a pair of goals in the setback

RINDGE, N.H. (April 12, 2014) – Junior attackman Kevin Dargin (Littleton, Mass.) pumped in a team-best three goals to lead a spirited effort by the Franklin Pierce University men’s lacrosse team on Saturday, but the Ravens couldn’t sustain the effort in a tough 15-6 loss to No. 2 nationally ranked and defending national champion Le Moyne at Sodexo Field in Rindge.

The Ravens dropped their third straight in falling to 5-5 overall and 3-5 in the Northeast-10, while the Dolphins improved to 10-1 and 7-1 in league play.

Franklin Pierce outshot Le Moyne, 18-14, in the opening 30 minutes and equaled the Dolphins with five faceoff wins apiece. In fact, Franklin Pierce’s first four shots included three going on net, and another banging off the pipe. If it wasn’t for Le Moyne goalkeeper’s Pat Brothers’ efforts in net early on, the Ravens could have easily found themselves with a couple markers early.

While Franklin Pierce couldn’t bust through, Le Moyne showed why it’s one of the nation’s finest teams by putting in three in the opening eight-and-a-half minutes, including a pair from Kevin Kelly, who had a game-high four on the day.

The early goals and saves didn’t deter the Ravens’ resolve, though, and they pulled to within two at 4-2 midway through the second quarter on back-to-back tallies from Dargin and Brenden Caldeira (Sandwich, Mass.). By that point Franklin Pierce held a 14-10 edge in shots, and was able to put eight of those on net.

But as the Dolphins planned to do the entire afternoon, they began to use their size and speed to wear down the Ravens, and were able to throw in a pair of goals late in the half, including one from Kelly with :05 left, to go up 6-2 at the break.

The late surge was a sign of things to come in the third quarter as Le Moyne rang up a 13-2 edge in shots, and scored seven times in the frame to open up a commanding 13-3 lead after three. Andrew Chadderdon, who had seven points on the day with three goals and four assists, scored two of those and tallied a helper in the third quarter alone to key the Dolphins’ run.

Chadderon tossed in his final goal with 8:51 to go in the game to make it 15-3 before Franklin Pierce banged in three of its own in the final 5:42 to make the score closer. Dargin threw in consecutive tallies, and Eddie Noonan (Foxboro, Mass.) scored his second of the game with 1:19 left.

Shots favored Le Moyne by a slim 34-30 margin, while the Ravens were able to put 16 of those on goal.

Brothers made eight saves to earn the win and run his record to 5-1 on the year. His counterpart, Franklin Pierce goalie Don Denman (Exeter, N.H.), turned aside 12 shots while falling to 5-5 on the year.

Le Moyne was 2-for-3 in man-up situations, while the Ravens were 1-of-3. The Dolphins also did a good job in the midfield with possession by going 15-of-17 in clear attempts, while thwarting the Ravens to a 13-for-19 pace.

Franklin Pierce returns to action Wednesday looking to snap its three-game losing streak when the Ravens travel to Colchester, Vt. to take on Saint Michael’s at 4 p.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce men’s lacrosse, please visit the team’s page at http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu. To follow the program even further, please visit Franklin Pierce Athletics on YouTube (www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports), Twitter (www.twitter.com/FPUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce men’s lacrosse apparel can do so on the athletic department’s online store at http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store(.)