CLINTON, NY - The Pioneer men's lacrosse team hopped over to Hamilton College on Tuesday afternoon for a midweek addition of the Contineer Cup, the 25th such meeting between the pair of next-door neighbors. In this installation of the series, the Continentals got out to an early lead, managing to keep the separation up for the duration of the match as the Pioneers fell by a 19-5 final score.
 
Noah Erickson (Auburn, NY/Auburn) and Lucas Donahue (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills Ballston Lake) each nabbed a pair of goals for the Pioneers, with Nolan Shea (Williston, VT/Champlain Valley Union) also recording one score to round out the scoring for the team. Ryan Considine (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) and Colin Musso (Auburn, NY/Auburn) each accrued assists in the action, with Considine helping on Donahue's first goal and Musso getting involved on Shea's score.
 
Michael Mecca (Oceanside, NY/Oceanside) got the Pioneers a few extra chances in Tuesday's contest, scooping up three ground balls to lead the squad. The quartet of Considine, Musso, Aaron Bergquist (Brewerton, NY/Central Square), and Jake Loughlin (Victor, NY/Victor) each tallied two ground balls in the matchup.
 
Patrick Oswald (Deer Park, NY/Deer Park) logged 18 saves as the Pioneer's cage guardian on Tuesday evening. The senior stopper also helped to form a solid defensive effort in the second quarter, as the team's superior positioning in their own half allowed them to keep the Continentals off the board for nearly the entire second frame, not giving up any ground until the closing moments of the quarter.
 
The Pioneer defense was also quite disruptive during the affair, forcing a composed Continentals attack into 14 total turnovers during the Tuesday tilt.
 
The team will now set their sights on Saturday's home-opener as they face Vermont State Castleton at ABM Field this coming weekend. The Pioneers took last season's outing by an 8-6 score in early March 2024.