OWINGS MILLS, Md.– Playing on the road in the MAC Commonwealth Semifinals, Eastern University Men's Lacrosse led through much of the game, but the host Stevenson University Mustangs scored eight of the final nine goals to earn the 17-13 win. Nicholas Fanelli scored four goals and added an assist to become the first Eastern player to record 100 points in a season.

The Mustangs opened the scoring on their opening extra-man opportunity. Stevenson scored four man-up goals in the game. Nicholas Fanelli equalized almost instantly and sparked a 5-to-1 run through the opening quarter. His first goal came on transition after a faceoff win. Fifty-five seconds later, the Eagles scored again in transition Nick Litzenberger bounced a shot home after Stephen Berman ran the clear.

The Mustangs equalized with nine minutes left before Gavin Stark set up a pair of goals. He found Nicholas Fanelli and Connor Bachman for goals just 32 seconds apart. The rookie midfielder closed the scoring for the quarter on an unassisted goal in transition.

The Eagles started the second quarter down a player without the ball and the Mustangs converted on the opportunity and added a second at even strength only 45 seconds later.

In the first match-up between the two teams, the Mustangs put together a massive run to break the game open in the second quarter. The Eagles did not let that happen. Nicholas Fanelli caught a pass from Stark just below goal-line-extended and pumped in his third of the day for a 6-4 lead and his 100th point of the year. When he scored it, he had 49 goals and 51 assists.

The Eagles stretched the lead with an individual effort from Avery Porter. Christopher Fanelli then took advantage of a match-up on the right side to earn a chance from in close. The sophomore sniper finished with his left hand to put the Eagles up 8-4. The Mustangs scored with 6:24 left in the half, but Ryan Williamson answered with a shot from below goal-line-extended for a 9-5 halftime lead.

Pat McClain won 11-of-14 first-half faceoffs, and the Eastern ride turned the Mustangs over four times in the first half.

The Mustangs scored the opening three goals of the third quarter, but the Eagles again found an answer. McClain won a faceoff and took a hard slash right at the edge of the box. With a flag down, he drove to goal and despite taking heavy checks was able to fling home a shot for a 10-8 lead.

The Eagles did not score on the man-up chance, their only opportunity of the game, but they held possession throughout. Christopher Fanelli scored a brilliant Behind-the-back effort on a feed from Avery Porter with two seconds on the shot clock to restore the three goal lead. After a Stevenson goal, Stark matched Christopher Fanelli's effort with a behind the back goal from Nicholas Fanelli.

With just under six minutes left in the third, Eagles won the ensuing faceoff and had a chance to go up four, but a quick turnover in the clear gave the Mustangs the ball and the hosts grabbed momentum with an extended possession and their own shot-clock buzzer-beater.

The Eagles appeared to have another stop, but the aggressive Stevenson ride forced another turnover and transition goal. Stevenson scored the first two goals of the fourth at even strength and then added two extra-man goals on a single penalty to stretch the lead.

Nicholas Fanelli gave the Eastern faithful some hope with a step-down shot to cut the Stevenson edge to 15-13, but the Mustangs scored on the ensuing face-off the restore the three goal edge. Stevenson was able to hold possession for much of the remainder of the game to secure the win.

McClain went 21-of-32 with 12 ground balls and  finished his carer winning 558-of-990 faceoffs. He won a career-best 58.8 percent of his draws this spring.

With his 50 goal and 52 assist season, Nicholas Fanelli becomes the only Eastern player not name Grant Ferguson to record a fifty goal season. He finishes one assist off David Darling's single-season record.

"I am proud of the way we came together," Head Coach Kevin Wallace said after the game. "We faced a lot of adversity over the past couple weeks and the guys have really dug in and cared about the guy in front of them, behind them, and the guy on either side. We came up short in this game, but I think we learned a lot about what can be accomplished when you genuinely love your teammates and are willing to work for them. I am leaving my position as head coach, but like our seniors, I will always be part of this program, and I will love these guys."

Stevenson will face top-seeded York in the MAC Commonwealth Championship game on Saturday.