WORCESTER, Mass.—Gordon Men's Lacrosse could not overcome an 8-0 hole, ultimately falling to Clark University 12-8 on Saturday afternoon. The Fighting Scots looked like the stronger team over the final 40 minutes, but Clark's torrid start proved to be the difference in the non-conference matchup.
 
Clark used a series of scoring spurts to grow a big lead in the first quarter. Isaac Bass (Amherst, Mass.) scored just a minute into regulation before Will Mandracchia (Melrose, Mass.) finished an unassisted goal of his own a minute later. Bass added his second in the game's sixth minute to make it a 3-0 lead before Gordon had a good look at the net.
 
Eight minutes passed before another ball hit the twine for the Cougars as Gordon was able to maintain more possession during the stretch. Brandon King (Eastham, Mass.) struck for two goals in a minute span before Jack Goracy (West Islip, N.Y.) finished off a perfect first quarter for the Cougars with a goal with 18 seconds remaining in the period.
 
The Cougars continued their run well into the second quarter as King capped off a hat trick to make it an 8-0 game by the halfway points of the period.
 
Gordon was finally able to put a point on the board with 7:27 to go in the first half when Nico Manganiello (Peabody, Mass.) scored off a pass from Chris Thanopoulos (Dollard-Des-Omeaux, Quebec). Manganiello made it a two-goal run by his lonesome with a power-play goal with six minutes remaining to cut the deficit to six.
 
Clark temporarily broke the run when Mandracchia scored his second of the game, only for Nick Palandjian (Belmont, Mass.) to find the back of the net with 21 ticks to go for a 9-3 halftime score.
 
Gordon won the battle in a lower scoring third quarter, 2-1, with goals from Thor Rasmussen (Fairfax, Va.) and Palandjian to set up a more manageable rally attempt in the fourth.
 
Palandjian completed his hat trick to start the fourth quarter to cut the lead even further, but Clark scored twice in 13 seconds of game time to put a damper on the Gordon comeback.
 
Nick Tozier (Winston Salem, N.C.) and Manganiello both added goals in the final three minutes, but Gordon came up short despite the strong second half.
 
Clark held a 15-8 advantage in face-off wins and a 43-26 edge in ground balls. However, Gordon scored the only two man-up goals of the day.
 
Gordon split time between keepers with Jay Gallipo (Dover, N.H.) coming up with seven saves and only three goals against in the second half.
 
The Fighting Scots (3-3) return home on Wednesday when they play host to Wheaton for a 7 p.m. start.