Firebirds Succumb to No. 8 LIU Post in Season Finale

BROOKVILLE, NY – The University of the District of Columbia men's lacrosse team was defeated by East Coast Conference foe LIU Post University, 18-3 on Saturday afternoon at Bethpage Stadium.

Teilen Celentano, Braylon Lumb, and Darien McPhail Millard each scored one goal for the Firebirds, and graduate goalkeeper Pat Payne stopped 16 of 33 shots faced. UDC concludes its regular season with a program-best overall record of 4-8 and a 1-7 mark in the ECC.

LIU Post, ranked No. 8 in NCAA Division II, improved to 10-3 overall and 7-1 in league play. The Pioneers out-scored the Firebirds 9-1 in the first quarter en-route to their sixth straight victory to end the regular season.

Leading the Pioneers offensively were Anthony Berardis (three goals, three assists), Matty Beccaris (four goals, one assist), Matt Belando (four goals), and Ryan Slane (three goals, one assist). Bryan Ochs earned the win in goal, stopping seven of 10 shots faced in just over 54 minutes of work. Frank Deluca and Adam Winne split the final six minutes and stopped one shot each.

The Pioneers out-shot UDC 51-24, doubled-up the Firebirds in face-offs, 16-8, committed six fewer turnovers and won 18 more ground balls (40-22).

Head coach Scott Urick will return 17 student-athletes from this year's roster which earned a program-best win total with four victories this season.