VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Neumann University Men's Lacrosse team suffered a 14-12 loss to the Marlins from Virginia Wesleyan University in non-conference play on Saturday afternoon.
 
Dalton Hofmann and Emmett Wexler each notched a hat-trick and both Renzo Garone and Wyatt Belotti picked up two goals and an assist. Max Nice had a goal and an assist while Brendan Boschi had five assists.
 
Neumann started off the game quickly with man-up goals by Belotti and Wexler. They extended the lead on two Hofmann goals for a 4-0 lead after 3:38. Virginia Wesleyan responded with two straight goals, but the Knights closed the quarter with a 5-2 lead thanks to a Garone goal.
 
After the Marlins scored on the man-up 31 seconds into the second, Garone answered with a goal of his own, giving Neumann a 6-3 lead with 9:16 left in the half. Virginia Wesleyan scored twice to close out the quarter, pulling them within one at the midway break.
 
Virginia Wesleyan used the intermission to their advantage as they scored the first five goals of the third. In total, that seven goal run gave them a 10-6 lead. Then, Neumann went on a run of their own when Nice, Wexler, and Hofmann scored 3:08 apart, making it a 10-9 game.
 
A Marlins goal with 1:01 left, combined with two early fourth quarter goals, ballooned the lead back to four. With 9:42 left in regulation, Wexler got back on the board. Connor Hurley and Belotti would follow with goals at the 5:52 and 3:19 marks, pulling the Knights within one but Virginia Wesleyan would close it out with the game's final goal with 3:07 remaining.
 
Jake Marchiafava made nine saves in the crease for Neumann. Jake Methlie led a dominant performance in the faceoff "X" winning 20 of 26 draws. Methlie also was credited with six ground balls and Alex Rucci followed with five.
 
Neumann (0-2) will be back in action on Wednesday afternoon for the home-opener against King's College. The game will get started at 3:30pm on the Turf Field.