GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – The Queens University of Charlotte men's lacrosse team fell to 4-2 in South Atlantic Conference play and 6-4 on the year with a 12-9 loss on the road to Tusculum College. The Pioneers improved to 8-2 on the season and 4-1 in league play. Additionally, the Royals who sit undefeated at home at 4-0 the season are now 2-4 on the road.
 
Justin Swick and Laszlo Henning led the Royals with two goals apiece, while five others netted one goal each. Jonathan Paige totaled 12 ground balls after winning 15-of-22 face-offs, and goalkeeper Anthony Valenza took the loss in the cage after totaling eight saves in just the second half of play. Anthony Caruso totaled five saves in the first half.
 
The game sat tied at the end of the first quarter in today's game after Tusculum's Chris Ryan got things going with the first score of the day at 10:55. Allen Curtiss and Henning followed with a pair of goals to put the Royals on top, 2-1, with 7:18 to play. The two teams then traded goals before a pair from the Pioneers put them ahead 4-3 with 2:58 on the clock. Henning then scored his second goal of the day with 2:22 remaining to knot the score at 4-4 heading into the second period.
 
The second quarter played out much like the first with the Pioneers outscoring Queens 4-3 to take an 8-7 lead into the halftime break.
 
In the third, both teams were quiet on the offensive end as Tusculum found the only two goals of the period at 7:44 and 6:59 to extend their lead to three, 10-7, heading into the final 15 minutes of regulation.
 
Though both teams would put two balls each in the back of the net in the final period, the lead that Tusculum had taken into the half and added to in the third would prove to be costly to the Royals in the end.
 
Queens outshot Tusculum 44-35, putting 23 shots on goal to the Pioneers' 25. Tusculum also edged Queens in ground balls, 29-23. Queens won the battle at the face-off, 16-8.
 
Tyler Klarner led the Pioneers with four goals this afternoon, while Ben Boyd and Ryan each recorded hat tricks. Kevin Haggerty took the win in goal after recording 14 saves.
 
The Royals will be back in action on Saturday, April 8 at Lenoir-Rhyne University. The game is set to begin at 4 p.m.