Montclair, NJ – Sophomore DAN BELLEZZA scored four goals, added an assist and was named the Most Valuable Player as top-seeded Montclair State captured its ninth consecutive Skyline Conference Men's Lacrosse Championship with an 11-7 over No. 2 seed Stockton on Saturday.

Seniors JAMES CLARKE and BRADY WULSTER each netted a pair of goals as the Red Hawks (11-7) claimed the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship. Selections and bracket announcement for the national tournament is scheduled for 9:00 pm on Sunday, May 17 on line at NCAA.com

Wulster gave Montclair State an early 1-0 lead however the Ospreys (16-3) tied the game 22 seconds later on a goal by Zack Aho who then gave Stockton a 2-1 lead scoring just ahead of the quarter horn.

???????Bellezza began a three-goal run by Montclair that put the Red Hawks back into the lead. The first came unassisted with 11:38 to go in the period and Wulster's tally with 4:58 knotted the game at 3-3. MATT HAEMMERLE scored on a man-up goal with 24 seconds to however Colin Shea answered for the Ospreys with five seconds remaining sending the teams into halftime tied at 4-4.

???????Bellezza got things going for Montclair State in the third quarter scoring twice in a span of 48 seconds. The first came unassisted off the right wing and the second, a man-up goal made the score 6-4 with 10:50 to go. Stockton cut that to a goal 70 seconds later as Aho set up Erik Anderson. Corey countered for MSU as the Red Hawks led 7-5 heading into the final period.

The teams traded goals in the first 10 minutes for Montclair closed out the contest with the final two goals. Clarke got the first with 4:58 to play on a man-advantage and DON FINN connected with a minute remaining for the final margin.

Goalkeeper LUCAS JONES made 12 saves for Montclair State. Defenseman RYAN YOUNG registered a team-best 10 ground balls along with a pair of caused turnovers.

The championship caps off an amazing run in the Skyline Conference by Montclair State which will become an independent next season. The Red Hawks joined the league in 2007 and compiled a 67-3 record in league play over the last 11 seasons that includes wins in its final 44 conference contests. MSU went 19-1 in tournament play and recorded an overall record of 86-4 against Skyline opponents in its tenure.