BOX SCORE

Montclair, NJ – Junior attack Jack Skeels scored four goals and added two assists while Kenneth Bogert added three goals and an assist as top-seeded Montclair State claimed its fourth consecutive Skyline Conference Championship with a 17-10 win over No. 2 seed Keanat Sprague Field on Saturday.

Senior attack Tyler Meth had two goals and an assists earning his second straight and third Most Valuable Player honor as the Red Hawks also captured the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Championship. Pairings for the national tournament will be announced on Sun., May 6, with first-round matchups set for Wed., May 9.

This will be Montclair’s fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament. Montclair, which improved to 11-5 on the season, will enter the national tournament winners of 10 straight contests. MSU has not lost since dropping a 15-7 decision to nationally-ranked Stevens on Mar. 15.

For the fourth time in five years, Montclair and Kean met to decide the Skyline Championship and for the fourth time it would MSU which would come out ahead as the Red Hawks used a strong opening quarter to take control of the game.

Skeels and freshman John Barney scored man-up goals with 13 and eight minutes remaining, respectively and a second goal from Skeels with 5:39 left gave Montclair State a 3-0 lead. Kean would score 39 seconds later however Meth countered seven seconds after that and a Bogert goal with 17 ticks showing before the end of the first quarter lifted Montclair to a 5-1 lead.

Kean (12-6) would collect three of the first four goals in the second period to close within 6-4 however Montclair State ripped off the seven straight goals bridging the second and third quarters for a 13-4 advantage. Michael Schreck began the run with 8:28 remaining with Matt Prongay, Skeels and Meth each scored before the end of the half as MSU led 10-4.

Skeels would add his fourth early in the third quarter while Thomas Ring and Joel Van Der Wal  tallied 59 seconds apart with just under 10 minutes remaining as the Red Hawks lead grew to 13-4.

Kean answered with a three-goal run of its own to get within 13-7 but Bogert scored six seconds after the Cougars and then added another early in the fourth period as Montclair State increased its lead to 15-7.

Prongay finished with two goals and two assists while Barney added a goal and assist. Van Der Wal found the back of the net twice in the game with Bogert winning 10 faceoffs and registering nine ground balls. Junior Mike Lade was stellar on defense with three ground balls and five caused turnovers.

Goalkeeper Mark Glander stopped eight shots.