ASTON, Pa. - The Neumann University men's lacrosse team closed out its regular season in style on Wednesday afternoon, clinching an Atlantic East Conference first round home playoff game with a 9-3 win over visiting Marywood University. 

Colin Blake (2 g, 4 a) carried the Knights to the victory with points on six of the team's nine goals. Drew and Eric Conlon each tallied three points apiece, while Brendan Risley made 12 big saves in goal to pick up the victory. 

Drew Conlon started the scoring early in the first quarter of the must-win game, giving the Knights a 1-0 lead with an unassisted goal at 8:59. Marywood responded with a pair of goals midway through the frame to take a 2-1 lead, but it would be the Pacers last and only lead of the contest. Neumann retaliated with three late goals in the quarter to jump back in front by a score of 4-2. Eric Conlon was the hero late in the frame, registering all three of the goals for the Knights, including two in the final minute of the period. 

Neumann continued to build on its lead as the game moved to the second stanza. Blake was the difference maker for the hosts in the quarter, assisting on the only two goals of the period. Brett McLaughlin tallied five minutes into the half, then Drew Conlon scored with 10 seconds remaining in the period to give the Knights some breathing room at 6-2 heading to intermission.

The Pacers tried getting back into the game with a goal early in the third frame, but Risley and a stout Neumann defense would shut the visitors out the rest of the way. The game remained 6-3 for much of the quarter, but two Knight goals late in the period put the game out of reach. Blake and Ryan McNichol each found the back of the net to give the hosts a commanding 8-3 lead into the fourth. 

Risley was the star for the Knights in the final frame, stopping every shot that came his way to preserve the five goal advantage. Blake then capped off his six point day with a goal off a feed from Chris Bellon to clinch the 9-3 win and a home game in the Atlantic East Conference playoffs. 

Neumann (8-6, 4-2 Atlantic East) finished the regular season in a three-way tie for second place in the conference but due to tie-breakers the team will enter the playoffs as the four-seed. The Knights will get a rematch with fifth-seeded Marywood in a first round matchup scheduled for Saturday, April 27th. Game time is to be determined.