Lakewood, N.J. -Georgian Court University men's lacrosse, riding a program-best three game winning streak, hosted Saint Michael's College Thursday afternoon in the GCU Track & Field Complex. In a low-scoring affair, the visiting Purple Knights held off the Lions, 9-6, to even their mark at 2-2. The Lions slip back to .500 with the setback at 3-3.

SMC registered the first five goals of the contest, draining the only tallies of the first period and the initial three of the second. Michael Saladino and Connor Houghton drilled back-to-back efforts at 3:06 and 1:27 of the second frame before the Purple Knights peppered the home team with four straight to take a healthy 9-2 advantage at the 8:00 mark of the third.

The Lions refused to quit, ripping the final four goals of the game to put GCU within three at the final horn. Saint Michael's bested Georgian Court by 10 (36-26) in the shots column, including a slim 19-13 surplus regarding shots-on-goal.

Jake Sonberg (Sr.-Bedford, N.H.) cradled seven saves in the complete-game victory for the Purple Knights, improving to 2-2 in the process. Chris Mullholland (0-1), getting his first start of the season in the GCU net, grabbed five saves in his 30:00 of action.

Jon Lockwood (Fr.-Norwell, Mass.) served as SMC's top-scorer with his hat trick. Saladino, the reigning Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Player of the Week, compiled two goals and a helper in the loss.

GCU returns to action Saturday afternoon with a 1:00 p.m. road match at Saint Thomas Aquinas College.