WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Dean College men's lacrosse team was eliminated in their Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) quarterfinal round game on Saturday afternoon, falling to the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) by a final score of 21-10. With the loss, the Bulldogs have been eliminated from playoff contention, while the Blue Jays advance to the semi-final round.
How it Happened:
-Saint Joseph opened fast with a 6-0 run in the first quarter before
Manny Alvarez-Segee (Saugus, Mass.) put Dean on the board off a feed from
Nick Fernandez (Weymouth, Mass.).
-The Bulldogs responded with a strong late first-quarter surge, scoring five of the final six goals of the period.
Joseph Marra (North Branford, Conn.),
Marc Sauchuk (Uncasville, Conn.), Fernandez, and Alvarez-Segee all found the back of the net as Dean closed within 7-5 after one.
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Josh Hackett (Orange, Conn.) controlled the faceoff X early, helping Dean generate extra possessions and fueling the Bulldogs' comeback push.
-In the second quarter,
Kevin Gardner (West Haven, Conn.) scored off an assist from Fernandez, while
Gavin McCarthy (Whitman, Mass.) added back-to-back goals, including one set up by his brother
Connor McCarthy (Whitman, Mass.), as Dean stayed within striking distance at 14-8.
-Fernandez continued to drive the offense with multiple assists, while Alvarez-Segee pressured the USJ defense throughout the first half.
-The Blue Jays tightened defensively in the third quarter, limiting Dean to one goal. C. McCarthy scored for the Bulldogs to make it 16-9 heading into the fourth.
-Dean continued to battle in the fourth, with Alvarez-Segee adding his second goal of the game as the Bulldogs pushed offensively.
-Defensively, Dean received strong efforts from Hackett,
Nathan Hartshorn (Weymouth, Mass.), and
Ronan Cafferty (Whitman, Mass.), while the Bulldogs forced turnovers and competed in transition against one of the conference's top offenses.
-Saint Joseph used a late run to pull away and take the postseason victory by a final score of 21-10.
Standouts:
-Fernandez (Goal, 5 Assists, 6 Points, 5 SOG, 4 GB)
-Alvarez-Segee (3 Goals, 3 Points, 6 SOG, 2 GB)
-G. McCarthy (3 Goals, 3 Points, 5 SOG)
-David Macneil (Whitman, Mass.) (5 Saves, 19 GA, 58:28 Minutes Played, Loss)
-The 2026 season has concluded for the men's lacrosse team. For more information on the 2027 schedule, please stay tuned on deanbulldogs.com.
For Media Inquiries:
Brett Chaves
Sports Information Director, Dean College Athletics
(508) 541-1826
BChaves@dean.edu
