WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – With just 1.6 seconds remaining on the game clock, junior attackman John Snellman released his fifth shot of the game and reached the back of the cage to lift the visiting Fairfield Stags over the University of Hartford men's lacrosse team by a 10-9 final on Tuesday afternoon at Al-Marzook Field. Fairfield pushes its record to 6-5 on the season with the victory while the Hawks drop to 7-5.

In a defensive battle that saw the lead change hands five times, Hartford took its final lead of the game at 8-7 on Aidan Genik's score with 46 seconds left in the third quarter. Both teams' sticks were kept silent over the first 13 minutes of the final period until Fairfield's Sam Snow netted the equalizer with less than two minutes to play. Jordan Greenfield struck with his fourth goal of the contest to put the visitor's ahead with 55 seconds remaining.

The Hawks knotted the game for the eighth time since opening face-off, this time at 9-9, as junior Ryan Compitello tossed in his 14th goal of the season on classmate Carter Bender's assist with just 19 seconds to go in regulation. Hartford won the ensuing face-off and after seeing a chance at the game-winner with eight seconds remaining, Fairfield's Brendan McTague tracked down the loose ball, fired a desperation pass down the field to Sean Bannon. Bannon then connected with Snellman who got his second goal of the afternoon off just before the final horn sounded.  

Netting a game- and career-high five goals on just seven shot attempts, junior Bender became the 14th member of Hartford's 100-Point Club on Tuesday. The attackman finished with six points on the afternoon, matching a career-best number. Rookie Conner Yatauro scored twice for the Hawks to register his first points as a collegian while attackmen Compitello and Genik rounded out the Hartford scoring with one goal apiece.

Hartford drew blood right out of the opening face-off as specialist Tim Fallon came out of the circle with a win and fed Bender with just seven ticks off of the scoreboard. The Stags responded just seven seconds later as Jordan Greenfield, a freshman, converted on Steve Golmont's victory at the face-off X to knot the game at 1-1.

Greenfield struck again, this time at 12:28, to put the Stags up 2-1 however Bender answered with his 20th goal on the season to tie the score at 2-2. Fairfield strung together a pair of scores within a one minute span before Hartford mustered up a two-goal rally of its own to close out the opening quarter with the score deadlocked at 4-4.

In the second stanza, Yatauro broke up almost 14 scoreless minutes when he delivered his second goal of the contest to put the Hawks up, 5-4, at the halftime break.

Hartford maintained its one-goal advantage after three periods of play as the Hawks and Stags went on to exchange a total of six goals during that frame. Bender scored twice in the span and Genik reaching the back of the net once.

Fairfield outshot Hartford, 41-34 however Hartford held a commanding advantage in ground balls (31-18). Fallon went 16-of-23 in the face-off circle and picked up a game-best 12 ground balls. Scott Bement rejected 10 shots between the pipes for the Hawks while Cipriano, his counterpart, made 12 saves.

Hartford resumes league play when it travels north to Burlington on Saturday, April 16 to face the Vermont Catamounts. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m.