PURCHASE, N.Y. --- The Lycoming College men’s lacrosse team clinched a first-place tie in the 2009 Middle Atlantic Conference tournament after defeating Manhattanville 11-6 on Saturday, April 25. The Warriors, which tied with FDU-Florham, will be the No. 2 in the upcoming tournament.

The win extends Lycoming’s winning streak to 10, the longest in school history, and boosts the Warriors to 11-4 overall and 9-1 in the MAC while Manhattanville slips to 6-9 overall and 5-5 in the conference.

Ricky DeNenno got the Warriors off on the right foot, scoring three minutes into the contest on an assist from Dave Labagh. Just over a minute later, Steve Henz tallied a man-up goal, crediting Ed Williams with the assisting and putting Lycoming up 2-0. Williams found the goal with 9:26 left in the first quarter and DeNenno rounded out a 4-0 first quarter, again assisted by Labagh.

The Valiants of Manhattanville were able to start the second quarter on a three goal run, cutting the Warrior lead to one, 4-3. Shea Conway stepped up with just 59 seconds left in the first half and scored unassisted to put Lycoming up 5-3 at half.

Manhattanville scored the first two goals of the third, tying the game at five all. Conway and Ethan Payne connected on a play to go up 6-5, before Brad Schaeffer found the net on a pass from Dave Labagh. Manhattanville got its final tally of the third with 43 seconds left to be down 7-6. But Williams had the final word of the quarter, letting one hum from the top of the box with just 12 seconds left.

The final stanza belonged to the Warriors, scoring three goals to none, securing the 11-6 victory. Payne, Conway and Nate Walter all found the goal in the final 15 minutes, with Conway’s and Walter’s goals assisted by DeNenno and Labagh.

Lycoming will be back in action on Wednesday, April 29 when it hosts a semifinal game versus and opponent that will be determined following Monday’s quarterfinal match ups.