THE BASICS:
 
RESULT: Hartford 12, Quinnipiac 8
RECORDS: Hartford (3-4, 0-0 AE), Quinnipiac (4-4, 1-0 MAAC)
LOCATION: Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium
PHOTO GALLERY
 
THE LEAD:
 
Seniors Griffin Feiner and Justin Huggins each recorded hat tricks on Tuesday to lead the University of Hartford men's lacrosse team past in-state rival Quinnipiac, 12-8, in its non-conference finale. Huggins scored four times, including his 100th career marker three minutes into the game, while Feiner, who entered the game as the nation's leading scorer, contributed three goals for his fourth-straight hat trick.

Senior Dylan Protesto also had a standout performance for the Hawks, going 19-of-22 on faceoffs while collecting 14 ground balls. Mike Fletcher and Ryan Lawson led Quinnipiac with two goals apiece in the losing effort.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• Behind a pair of scores from Huggins within the first three minutes, Hartford opened up the game on a three-goal run to take the early lead. Quinnipiac cut into that lead by ending the stanza with a pair of scores, but senior Rion Davison's ninth goal of the season pushed the Hawks' advantage back to two with 12:54 left in the half.
• The Bobcats answered, though, using a 4-1 run over an eight-minute stretch to take their first lead of the game – a 6-5 edge – with 3:35 remaining in the half. The lead proved to be short-lived, as Huggins and Feiner each found the back of the net on feeds from senior Trevor O'Brien and Davison to take a 7-6 lead into the break.
• An 11-minute scoring drought to start the second half was ended by Quinnipiac's Ryan Corcoran, as he evened up the score at 7-7 at the 3:58 mark of the stanza.
• The Hawks ended the game in dominant fashion and put Quinnipiac away using a 5-1 run. A pair of goals six seconds apart in the final three minutes of the third gave Hartford the lead for good at 9-7. With 5:10 remaining, Huggins extended the lead to three (11-8) with his fourth goal of the afternoon before Feiner iced the game with 1:55 left to play with his third score of the day.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE & NOTES:
 

• Feiner tacked on a career-high three assists to finish with six points.
• The senior has registered at least six points in each of his last three outings.
• Senior goalie Ryan Vanderford was impressive between the posts, making 11 saves, several of which came on point-blank opportunities.
• Vanderford, who improved his career win total to 27, is three away from becoming Hartford's all-time winningest goalie.
• The Hawks held a 36-28 margin in the ground ball battle but were outshot by the Bobcats, 36-34.
• Hartford's man-down unit held Quinnipiac to just one man-up goal in five opportunities.
• Junior Nolan Little went 2-of-2 at the X as Hartford went 21-of-24 on faceoffs (.875 winning percentage).
• Hartford improves to 12-8 against Quinnipiac with Tuesday's win

 
NEXT ON TAP:
The start of America East Conference play lands the Hawks on Long Island on Saturday for a 1 p.m. tilt against Stony Brook.