Manchester, N.H. -  Georgian Court University came to play on Saturday with the Lions giving the host-Penmen all they could handle as GCU eventually fell at Southern New Hampshire University, 14-11, in non-conference men's lacrosse action.

The two squads alternated the first five goals of the contest before SNHU secured four of the game's next five tallies to take a slim 6-4 lead into intermission. The Lions came out of halftime slinging shots as GCU poured in the first three goals of the second stanza before the Penmen authored its own three tallies to maintain a 9-7 surplus with 14:51 remaining in regulation.

Connor Houghton and Michael Saladino proceeded to connect on back-to-back efforts to knot the score at 9-all with 10:13 to go before SNHU popped in three consecutive goals to go ahead, 12-9.

Jeffrey Galatola and Patrick Quinn answered the bell and inched the Lions to within one as the duo's tallies made the score 12-11 with only 5:09 left. Unfortunately, the power of the Penmen had the last say as SNHU added a pair of insurance goals in the last 3:35 to secure the hard-fought win.

The victors dominated the shots column by a margin of 57-26 while firing off 41 on frame. Devin Calkins (Sr.-Bow, N.H.) and Corey Cairo (Sr.-Shoreham, N.Y.) contributed hat tricks to lead the SNHU offense.

Galatola topped all players with his four scores on the day while Quinn harnessed a hat trick for the Lions. 

Michael Brawley (Sr.-Tewksbury, Mass.) earned the win in the SNHU net with 11 saves over 60:00. GCU keeper, Austin Geissel, was peppered all game long in goal, collecting an astounding 27 saves on the day in the complete-game effort.

Georgian Court now prepares for its 2018 home opener as the Lions host Ohio Valley University on Sunday, Mar. 4 at 1:00 p.m.