FINAL SCORE
Fairfield 15 (3-8, 2-3 CAA)
Monmouth 14 (5-7, 1-4 CAA)
 
FAIRFIELD, CT – The Monmouth University men's lacrosse team drew within one goal twice in the fourth quarter, but Fairfield continuously found an answer in a 15-14 decision on Saturday afternoon at Rafferty Stadium.  

Ty Caffarelli scored a career-high five times and set the single-season freshman scoring record, but the Hawks were unable to level the score after a pair of early Fairfield goals. The Stags built a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter before the teams traded goals through the end of the third.

A 4-1 Monmouth spurt made it 13-12 with 5:48 to play on Cafarelli's fifth, but Fairfield scored twice over the next two minutes to push the lead back to 15-12. Monmouth quickly answered with two goals and had two possessions with a chance to tie, but Fairfield held on for the victory and kept its CAA postseason hopes alive.

GAME NOTES
- Monmouth fell to 1-4 in CAA play this year.
- Monmouth moved to 4-3 on the road this season.
- The meeting was the first all-time between Monmouth and Fairfield.
- The Hawks wore their chrome helmets with midnight blue jerseys and white shorts.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Ty Caffarelli set a new career high with five goals and set a new single-season program record for goals with 25. The mark was previously held by Bryce Wasserman, who scored 21 goals in 2015.
- Caffarelli's 25 goals this season rank fifth on the overall single-season goals list and he leads the team.
- Caffarelli has five man-up goals this season, good for third on the single-season list.
- Matt Soutar won 22-of-33 faceoffs in the game, the second most in a game in team history and the most since he won 20 on May 8, 2021.
- Soutar led the Hawks with 11 ground balls, the fourth time he picked up double digit GBs in a game this year. His 97 ground balls this year are the most in a season in team history.
- Caden Kesselring had three points with two goals and an assist for the second straight game. Kesselring has five goals and three assists this season.
- Cade Stratton had a goal and two assists, giving him a team high 31 points this season (20 G, 11 A).
- Matt Karsian and Luke Cole each scored twice for Monmouth.
- Karsian has 12 goals on the year and two man-up tallies.
- Cole has five goals this season.
- Connor Macrae handed out two assists, his first multi-assist game this season.
- Sean Ketchen and Will Brimhall each added goals. It was the first goal of Brimhall's career and the eighth of the season for Ketchen.
- Soutar and Ryan O'Rourke added assists.
- Michael Quigg and Jack Gertie led Monmouth's defense with two caused turnovers each.
- Monmouth had a 27-24 edge in shots on goal.
 
NEXT UP
Monmouth hosts Towson next Saturday, April 22 on Senior Day. The game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on FloSports.