STEUBENVILLE – The Franciscan men's lacrosse team hosted the first-ever Presidents' Athletic Conference contest on the Steubenville campus as the Barons faced Bethany (WV) Saturday afternoon. Despite a very strong second half for the Barons, the Bison walked away with an 11-9 win.
 
Bethany wasted little time getting on the board and Nicholas Melita won the opening faceoff and went straight to cage to give the Bison a 1-0 lead just five seconds into action. The Barons answered quickly, however, and senior Dan McCartney scored back-to-back goals to give Franciscan a 2-1 lead with 13:46 to play.
 
After six minutes of solid defense from both teams, the Bison broke the tie as Anthony Helias tallied his first goal of the game with 4:07 left in the first quarter. The Bison closed out the quarter with three-straight goals to take a 5-2 lead after the first 15 minutes.
 
Bethany pushed its lead to 6-2 with 12:10 to play in the second before the Barons went on a three-goal run to end the half. Junior Michael Araps kicked off the run with his eighth goal of the season before sophomore Nicholas Brierley and junior Steve Smith added a tally for the Barons.
 
In his first game with Franciscan this season, junior Joe Bartholomaus got his first goal of the year as he tied the game for the Barons with a top-shelf shot thanks to an assist from Smith with 10:44 to play in the quarter. Bethany took the lead back with another three-goal run to take the 9-6 lead with 3:36 to play.
 
McCartney made the best of a man-down situation as he finished a successful clear for the Barons and buried a goal with 26 seconds left in the quarter to cut the lead to 9-7.
 
Bethany opened the fourth with its 10^th goal of the game 1:44 into the quarter. Smith answered with his second of the game and seventh of the season before Tristan Shaffer extended the Bison lead back to three goals, 11-8, with 3:09 to play. Sophomore William Muraski scored the game's final goal as he got a quick pass from Bartholomaus with six seconds left to cut the lead to two, 11-9, where the score would stand.
 
McCartney led the Barons with three goals and eight ground balls, while Muraski picked up nine ground balls and caused nine turnovers.
 
Sophomore goalie Grant McKeown made seven saves for the Barons.
 
The Barons continue PAC action as they travel to Chatham next Friday, April 5, for an 8:00 pm contest.