Montclair, NJ – Senior DAN BELLEZZA scored three times and added three assists as Montclair State rebounded from a tough first quarter for a 15-12 victory over Maritime College at Sprague Field on Saturday afternoon.

SKYLER FRANCISCO scored three times as the Red Hawks (4-4) trailed by four after the first quarter before coming back to beat the Privateers (6-3). Freshman DARIO SIRNI came off the bench and went 19-of-24 on faceoffs with seven ground balls.

Martime scored the first two goals of the contest and finished off the opening period with the last three capped off by Brett Trodden's score with two seconds remaining in the period. Montclair however turned it around in the second recording all five goals.

Bellezza had a hand in the first four scoring with 11:56 left before setting up AARON LOSCHIAVO 19 seconds later trimming the deficit to 5-3. He would score the next two and tied the game with 3:26 to go off an assist from TYLER MCCREERY. McCreery found CHRISTIAN BOYLE for the go-ahead with 2:17 remaining as the Red Hawks led 6-5 at the break.

MATT HAEMMERLE opened the second half with a man-up goal extending the lead to two however Maritime answered with two scores in a span of 47 seconds knotting the contest at 7-7 with over eight minutes left. Montclair countered with a three-goal run. Boyle got the first and Francisco the next before Loschiavo finished off a Bellezza pass with a reverse over-the-shoulder shot giving MSU a 10-7 advantage.

Leading 10-8 going into the fourth Francisco and Collin Flannery traded goals making the score 11-9. Montclair State would register four of the next five including two from SEAN STADTLANDER for a 15-10 lead with 4:46 to play. Matt DeMeo and Trodden scored 11 seconds apart bringing the Privateers within three with 2:43 left. But Sirni won the ensuing faceoff and the Red Hawks were able to run time off the clock ending any further comeback.

Bellezza added six ground balls and forced a turnover to complete his afternoon. TIM ELFONTE totaled five ground balls and had two caused turnovers. MATTHEW MCLAREN stopped nine shots.  

Montclair State is back in action on Wednesday, April 3 when it travels to Schenectady, NY for a matchup with Union College at 4:00 pm.