ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– On the day when the program celebrated the final regular season home game for 12 players, Eastern University Men's Lacrosse (9-8, 5-2)  took advantage of strong play at the faceoff x and an efficient extra-man group to to beat Hood College 14-8 and secure the third seed in the upcoming MAC Commonwealth Tournament. Hood would have claimed the third seed in the tournament with a win, but for the second-straight year, the Blazers wind up on a short-end of a three-way tie for fourth and miss the tournament. Brett Gougler scored five times to pace the Eastern attack.

Gougler, a junior transfer from Cabrini, opened the scoring on Eastern's first shot of the day. Nick Lirzenberger provided the service for the goal in the opening minute. With the assist, Litzenberger became just the fifth Eastern player to record 200 career points in an Eastern jersey. Litzenberger started his career with three games at Utica where he scored five times and had one assist. In his four years at Eastern the First-Team All-MAC Commonwealth midfielder has seen his production increase in each of his four years. HIs 42 goal and 30 assists this year are both career-high numbers.

Litzenberger doubled the Eastern lead on the next possession. With the goal, Litzenberger accomplished a multi-point game for the 17th time this year. It is the 15th time the graduate midfielder has recorded both a goal and an assist in a game. It is his 26th straight multi-point game.

After another faceoff win from Benjamin Souder, Brett Williamson scored from Gavin Stark. Souder went 14-of-21 on draws. The Eastern sophomore won a fourth-straight draw, but the Eagles came up empty after a wide shot went unbacked. A Zachary Klym save helped the Eagles get the ball back, and Frankie Fanelli scored off a pass from his brother for a 4-0 lead only five minutes into the game. For Christopher Fanelli, it was his first of four assists in the game.

The Blazers (10-5, 3-4) tightened up their defense and the game slowed to a pace that suited the visitors. Five of Hood's wins have come in games where they scored 10 or fewer goals. Hood scored with two and a half minutes to play in the first quarter to close the gap to 4-1. The Eagles had an 11-4 edge in first quarter shots.

The Blazers won the opening draw of the second quarter, another couple defensive stops set up Gougler for his second of the afternoon.  Hoods Aiden Gilsdorf had an answer after an aggressive Hood ride at the midpoint of the second quarter.

Gougler scored two more goals by halftime to put the Eagles up 7-2. In a preview of the second half, the Blazers got a late lifeline with a penalty in the waning seconds. The guests would start the second half up a player with the ball.

The Eastern man-down unit did its job, in front of Zachary Klym. The senior goalie did his part with a pair of saves in the opening minute of the half. He recorded nine saves in his 59 and a half minutes of action. He gave way to fellow senior Ben Connolly for the final half minute.

After a first half with only two Eastern penalties, the game became significantly less controlled. The third quarter had nine total penalty minutes. Eastern, with two players int he top ten in the nation in man-up goals, had the clear edge.

Litzenebrger and Christopher Fanelli each added to their totals, and Andrew Collins scored an incredible back-handed effort for his first of two extra man goals. Up 11-4 after three, the Eagles needed to simply see the game out to lock into the third see.

After Dominic Marangoni scored a transition goal early in the fourth for Eastern's fourth extra-man goal of the half, The Blazers scored three times in a three minute stretch to pull to within five goals at 12-7.

Thirty seconds later, Collins put away Eastern's fifth man-up goal to restore the six-goal edge. Two minutes later Brett Williamson closed the door off a feed from Frankie Fanelli.

Gougler does not play on Eastern's man-up unit. He scored his five goals on six shots. Christopher Fanelli and Litzenberger joined him with five point days. Sean Dendall, Zach Puckett, and Dan Divita each finished with four caused turnovers to pace the Eastern defense.

Before the game, the Eagles honored their twelve seniors. In addition to Christopher Fanelli, Litzenberger, Klym, Connolly, and Divita, the program recognized, Lucian Trudel, Suraj Sharma, Ryan Drobnick, Jake Vitone, Brady Palmer, Ryan Poole, and Greyson Sprinkle.

The Eagles will travel to Stevenson University for Wednesday's league semifinal.. Eastern and Stevenson played in last year's MAC Commonwealth Championship game. Stevenson has announced a 7 pm game time.