WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Down 5-2 at the half, the VMI lacrosse team scored four second-half goals but allowed six from host Monmouth as the Hawks kept pace for an 11-6 victory over the Keydets on Tuesday afternoon at Kessler Stadium.
 
The Hawks (3-3) got on the board first early in the opening period with a goal by leading scorer Connor Macrae. The Keydets (2-5) responded with two consecutive unassisted goals to go up, 2-1, for their only lead of the game. VMI offensive leaders Hartley Jordan and Scout Ripley put in the goals for the Keydets.
 
Monmouth retaliated with four unanswered goals over the course of the first half to go into the break with its 5-2 advantage.
 
VMI managed two goals in the third quarter by freshman Luke Rusterucci and Jordan and eventually added two more in the fourth from Ripley and Jordan, but the Hawk defense clamped down to never allow a VMI rally for the latter half of the match and forced six VMI turnovers on clearing opportunities.
 
Max Brooks and Connor Macrae both scored three goals apiece to lead Monmouth while Jordan (three) and Ripley (two) paced the Keydet attack. Monmouth controlled the possession battle by claiming 14 of 19 faceoff battles and limited VMI’s scoring opportunities on extra-man opportunities, holding the Keydets scoreless on three occasions. VMI outshot the Hawks by a 39-32 count.
 
In a complete game, VMI goalie Jack Liselli picked up the loss with 12 saves while Monmouth’s Noah Lode earned the win with eight saves.
 
The Keydets return to action Saturday at home with a 12 p.m. matchup against visiting Bellarmine University at Drill Field No. 2.