Big Green Come Back for 12-11 Win at Siena

Saturday, March 2

Loudonville, N.Y.

11:00 AM

Dartmouth College

2-2

Siena

2-3

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Dartmouth	0	5	4	3	12
Siena	4	2	2	3	11

Photo by: Cayla Fernandes

3/2/2024 3:10:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

Dartmouth picks up road win over reigning MAAC finalist

By: Justin Lafleur

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. — The Dartmouth men's lacrosse almost erased a 5-0 deficit in the season opener at Bucknell while on Saturday, the Big Green finished the comeback from a 5-0 hole, as they beat Siena in thrilling fashion, 12-11. Dartmouth held an 11-3 edge through the middle stages of the game to take an 11-8 lead, then after three consecutive Saints' goals, junior Brandon Ventarola scored the game-winning goal with 3:28 remaining behind an impressive individual effort.

With the win, Dartmouth improves to 2-2. Siena falls to 2-3.

"Always great to leave with a win on the road — our first road win of the year," said Dartmouth head coach Sean Kirwan. "This team continues to show resilience through adversity and I am very proud of our ability to claw back from an early deficit, and this time get all the way over the hump."

Take a look at Brandon Ventarola's game-winning goal in the final minutes this afternoon!#GoBigGreen | #TheWoods🌲 pic.twitter.com/pSaqCV6KeX
— Dartmouth Men's Lacrosse (@DartmouthMLax) March 2, 2024

Junior Colin McGill scored three goals for his second hat trick of the season and 11th of his career. He scored the Big Green's first three goals of the game, coming in the span of 3:20.

Sophomore Cameron Brown finished with three goals to tie a career high while classmate Hopper Zappitello had two goals and three assists. Ventarola tallied a goal and three assists. Senior Nate Davis scored twice while sophomore Emmett Paradine dished two assists.

Junior Griffin O'Neil collected a career-high six groundballs, double his previous high of three. Fifth-year Andrew Johnston recorded three groundballs and two caused turnovers.

Fifth-year Mitchell Myers impressed in the faceoff circle, winning 14-of-19 with eight groundballs. Junior Vincent Gandolfo was 4-of-8.

"Our faceoff unit was tremendous today, playing a huge role in our comeback efforts," said Kirwan. "Mitch and Vinny leading the charge there, but they weren't alone, as guys like Brandon Ventarola and Logan Tucker were there every step of the way supporting those guys at the X."

Siena finished with a 14-5 edge in first-quarter shots and took a 4-0 lead into the second. After the margin reached five, McGill scored twice in the span of 11 seconds to get the Big Green back within three. The Saint responded at the 7:51 mark, but McGill scored again just 40 seconds later to pull Dartmouth within 6-3.

Goals from Brown, senior Henry Bonnie and Davis, bridging the end of the second quarter and beginning of the third, pulled the Big Green even at six.

"Henry Bonnie continues to be a tremendous leader for us on the field," said Kirwan. "Day in and day out, he personifies what it means to be a member of Dartmouth lacrosse and today was no different."

A Davis goal at 8:53 gave Dartmouth its first lead at 8-7. The Big Green began the fourth with goals from Zappitello and Brown to take an 11-8 lead, making it a 5-1 Dartmouth run.

How about another?! This one in the form of a diving backhand shovel shot from Hopper Zappitello 😱#SCTop10 | @ESPNAssignDesk https://t.co/Kq8TafQMMI pic.twitter.com/NCm4VmpbQ0
— Dartmouth Men's Lacrosse (@DartmouthMLax) March 2, 2024

However, Siena scored three times in the span of 4:13 to pull even at 11. But Dartmouth won the ensuing faceoff, a possession that ended with an impressive effort from Ventarola, who fired it home to give the Big Green a 12-11 lead with 3:28 remaining, which proved to be the final.

For the game, Dartmouth held a 41-33 advantage in shots and 40-30 edge in groundballs. First-year Ryan Williamson made nine saves, across the Saints' Andrew Arcuri, who made 14. Siena had 25 turnovers to Dartmouth's 19.

Tell ya what. @DartmouthMLax leading college lacrosse is highlight plays.

Ryan Williamson adds another. pic.twitter.com/tWdSa0TVp3
— USA Lacrosse Magazine (@USALacrosseMag) March 2, 2024

Dartmouth has a quick turnaround, playing a neutral-site game against Stony Brook on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Avon Old Farms in Connecticut.