ST. DAVIDS, Pa. -- 17th-ranked Stevenson men's lacrosse clamped down when it mattered most, holding off a pesky Eastern side with a 13-12 road win on Saturday afternoon in Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Commonwealth action. 

Stevenson (7-4, 3-0) used a decisive swing at the end of the third quarter, taking back momentum with a quick faceoff win and goal from Nolan Enneguess. The goal pushed Stevenson back in front for good, despite Eastern (4-8, 2-2) attempting to close the gap. 

The Mustangs took control at the faceoff dot, using that advantage to gain possession in some key sequences of the contest. Shane Ford posted a team-high four goals as Ryan Coleman notched five points with one goal and four assists. Josh Brannan netted a hat-trick with Lucas Ingley and Cam Leydig chipping in two goals each. 

Eastern received six goals from Christopher Fanelli as Connor Killon had six points of his own with four goals and a pair of assists. 

Marc Poust made 11 saves as Stevenson held the lead throughout the fourth quarter after the go-ahead goal from Enneguess. With neither team able to gain much separation throughout, Stevenson found itself behind by two before closing the opening quarter with markers from Ford and Ingley over the final 2:35. 

The Eagles battled back to level the conference clash at six heading into the halftime break behind the combo of Fanelli and Killion. Stevenson responded with the initial two goals of the second half, coming from Ford at 14:14 and Leydig at 12:19. The Eagles would not relent, using a two-goal spurt of its own before grabbing all the momentum with a game-tying goal from Killion at the 19-second mark of the stanza. 

Enneguess lifted the Mustangs in front just seven seconds later and nearly added another goal before the end of the third. Stevenson pushed its lead to 11-9 with another critical goal, this one from Brannan at 13:50. 

Both sides traded scores for the remainder of the frame with Stevenson never relenting the lead over the final 15 minutes. 

NEWS AND NOTES 

• The Mustangs held a 55-36 advantage in shots. 
• Stevenson won seven of the game's final nine faceoffs. 
• Enneguess has earned 10 or more faceoff wins in seven games this season for Stevenson. 
• The Mustangs remain unbeaten in regular-season conference games against MAC Commonwealth opponents since joining the league in 2013. 
• Poust earned 10 or more saves in a game for the eighth time this season. He brings his career total to 416, setting a new single-season high for saves (117) during his Stevenson tenure. 
• Andrew Searing handed out the assist on a man-up goal from Brannan in the fourth, providing Stevenson with some insurance and a 13-11 lead. 
• Eastern has given Stevenson trouble over the last handful of matchups. The Eagles took the Mustangs to overtime last April with Stevenson erasing a three-goal deficit in the fourth quarter. 

UP NEXT 

• Stevenson: The Mustangs return home for a matchup with Messiah on Wednesday, April 13. 
• Eastern: The Eagles visit Alvernia on Wednesday, April 13.