SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts Freshman goalkeeper Jacob Ortiz set a high bar for himself by breaking the American International College men's lacrosse single-game saves record with 28 stops, but a strong second half by the visiting LIU Post offense led the Pioneers to a 14-6 win over the Yellow Jackets in the season opener for both teams.

FAST FACTS:
Final Score: LIU Post 14, AIC 6
Location: Ronald J. Abdow Field, Springfield, Massachusetts

TOP PERFORMERS:
LIU POST:
William Snelders: Eight goals, two assists
Connor Farrell: 18 faceoff wins, 11 ground balls
Byran Ochs: Win (1-0), 10 saves

AIC:
Jack McIntyre: Two goals, one assist
Rawill Herrera: Two goals
Quinn Caesar: Two assists
Jacob Ortiz: Loss (0-1), school-record 28 saves

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The teams battled to a scoreless tie through the first 15 minutes.
• In the second, LIU Post snapped off two quick goals in the first minute before Rawill Herrera scored his first collegiate goal to get things going for AIC. William Snelders scored his second of the frame to reestablish the two-goal edge, but Jack McIntyre netted two goals to draw the score even. It looked as if the teams would go into the half at 3-3, but Snelders capped the hat trick with just 7.1 seconds left on the clock for a 4-3 edge.
• The Pioneers carried that momentum into the second half, scoring another two quick goals. They likely would have had more had it not been for Ortiz, who made 11 saves in the frame, including four in a span of under ten seconds. AIC did close out the scoring in the frame as Herrera netted another to cut the deficit to 10-4.
• LIU kept going in the fourth, scoring four more in the final frame. AIC managed a pair, with Jack Shaughnessy and Colton Larkin each tallying their first of the year, but the Pioneers walked out of Springfield with the 14-6 win.

SAVING GRACE:

• By making 28 stops, Ortiz broke the record set last season by Matt Sayegh, who stopped 25 in a loss against Assumption.

NEXT UP:

• The team hits the road to visit the Post Eagles on Wednesday, February 21 at 4 p.m. in Waterbury, Connecticut.

STAY CONNECTED:

• For more updates about the AIC men's lacrosse team, follow @AIC_Lacrosse on Twitter and @jacketslacrosse on Instagram, and like American International Men's Lacrosse on Facebook. For updates on all AIC Yellow Jackets teams, follow @AICAthletics on Twitter and Instagram, and like AIC Yellow Jackets on Facebook.