Smithfield, R.I. (April 19, 2016)—The Mount St. Mary's University men's lacrosse team fell at Bryant, 12-7, in a Northeast Conference matchup on Tuesday afternoon.  Mark Hojnoski paced the Mountaineers with a hat trick in the game.

The Mount (5-7, 1-3 NEC) grabbed the early lead when Hojnoski drove the left side and scored on a tough angle shot.  Bryant countered just eight seconds later when Jared Kaden picked up the ground ball off a face-off win, raced down the field, and scored.  Spencer Smith put the Mount back in front when he scored coming around from the back of the cage, but Tucker James was able to answer with a goal to even the score.  Hojnoski put the Mount back in front when he again drove down the left and buried a tough angle shot with 9:23 left in the first quarter.

Bryant (8-4, 3-1 NEC) won the ensuing face-off, and earned a two-minute non-releasable penalty.  The Bulldogs took advantage with two goals during the extra-man opportunity to take the lead.  James scored in transition off a Mount turnover and Tom Kennedy on a bounce shot from the slot to give Bryant a 6-3 lead after the first quarter.

The Bulldogs posted the first two goals of the second quarter to stretch the lead to 8-3 before the Mount's Bubba Johnson ripped a shot from the middle to stop Bryant's scoring run.  James added consecutive goals to give Bryant a six-goal lead, but Hojnoski's third goal of the game on a feed from Ryan Lamon cut the deficit to 10-5 at the half.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Mount cut the Bryant lead to 10-6 when Evan Gormley scored just 41 seconds into the fourth.  The Bulldogs were able to answer on goals by Kennedy and Bryant Baker to stretch the lead to 12-6.  Johnson countered for the Mountaineers, converting a pass from Austin Short, to make it 12-7 and round out the scoring in the game.

Bryant held a narrow 35-to-34 edge in shots in the game while the Mountaineers had a 24-to-21 advantage in ground balls.

Hojnoski led the Mount with three goals while Johnson added a pair.  Frankie McCarthy made six saves while allowing four goals in 43:10 of action after replacing starter Matt Vierheller.  Bryant's Gunnar Waldt made 12 saves in the win while James finished with a game-high five goals.

The Mount returns to action on Saturday, April 23, when Wagner visits Waldron Family Stadium for a 12:00 p.m. matchup.  It is Senior Day with the Mountaineers honoring this year's senior class prior to the game.