LISLE, Ill. – The MSOE lacrosse team overcame a three-goal deficit to tie Benedictine early in the fourth quarter, but could not overtake the home team in a 14-9 loss in the season finale Saturday afternoon at The Sports Complex.

Behind four goals from senior Zach Markell, the Raiders (5-8, 1-5 MLC) overcame a 7-4 deficit at halftime, but could not stop the Eagles (11-4, 4-2 MLC) from ending the game on a 5-0 run for the win.

Markell led the offensive charge, while sophomores Thomas Reid and Clay Gustafson scored two goals each and sophomore Oliver Winsor finished with three assists. Freshman Jack Fisher rounded out the team's scorers.

Matthew Johnson scored four goals, including the game-winner and another score during the decisive, game-ending run. David Blanco added three scores of his own.

MSOE held with BenU early, as the teams alternated scoring in the first eight goals of the game, remaining in a deadlock at 4-4 after Markell's second goal at 9:59 of the second quarter. The Eagles then scored three-straight goals before halftime for a lead at the intermission.

Markell got the scoring started in the second half as the Raiders outscored Benedictine 4-2 in the third quarter to pull within 9-8. Gustafson then tied the score just over a minute into the fourth quarter.

Johnson responded just over 90 seconds later with the winner and the home team added four more goals in just over seven minutes to put the game away.

Sophomore Pat Collins made 10 saves in the game, but the Red & White could not overcome a determined BenU squad which held a 17-2 shot advantage in the fourth quarter.

Aside from the final period, the shots were close as the home team finished with a 43-28 advantage. MSOE put 20 shots on target, with Jeffrey Smitheram being forced into 11 saves.

Senior Aaron Chun won 16-of-24 face-offs in the match and finished with a game-high eight ground balls.

The Raiders finished the season with a school-record team goals against average of 8.62, breaking the old mark by over a full goal per 60 minutes (9.71). They also had a +16 goal differential in the campaign, another school record.

Individually, Gustafson finished the season with 34 goals and 51 points, both second in school history. He also became the second member of the program's 100-point club, finishing his sophomore campaign with exactly 100 career points on 64 goals and 36 assists.