Columbia, MD - In their final home game of the season, the Howard Community College Dragons men's lacrosse team fell to #1 ranked Harford Community College 22-11.

Despite putting up a strong fight in the first quarter, the Dragons were unable to stop of barrage of Fighting Owl goals from the second half onward. The loss drops the Dragons to 4-5 on the season and 1-2 in conference play.

Howard had played tough against top-five teams at home this season, and they showed no signs of changing in the first quarter. The Dragons took an early lead off a John Stubbs (Catonsville, MD/Boys Latin) goal, then kept the score tied when Caiden Hawlk (Dover, DE/Red Lion) snuck behind the defense to score. A late first quarter goal from William Pesce (Derwood, MD/Col. Zadok Magruder), courtesy of an ankle-breaking juke on the assist by Mitchell Dua (Mount Airy, MD/Loyola Blakefield) kept the Dragons tied 3-3.

After Harford pulled ahead by two early in the second, the Dragons got back within one on a second Stubbs goal. But that would be the closest the Dragons would get as Harford pulled away through the rest of the quarter. Howard trailed 11-4 at the half, then found themselves down 12-4 early in the third. Mitchell Dua (Mount Airy, MD/Loyola Blakefield) and John Stubbs (Catonsville, MD/Boys Latin) stemmed the bleeding with a pair of goals, but another explosion from Harford made it 19-6 deep into the fourth.

Howard's offense woke up midway through the fourth, scoring three quick goals courtesy of Mason Ambrose (Eldersburg, MD/Liberty), Cyrus Frid-Denikos (Elkridge, MD/Howard), and William Pesce (Derwood, MD/Col. Zadok Magruder). The rally got the Dragons within ten goals, but Harford put the game away with one last barrage of shots. Hawlk and Frid-Denikos closed out the game with a pair of goals to make the final score 22-11.

Stubbs finished the evening with three goals on eight shots, while Pesce scored twice on three shots with two assists and five ground balls. Frid-Denikos scored twice on six shots, while Hawlk was a perfect two for two on shots along with three ground balls and two casued turnovers. Mitchell Dua (Mount Airy, MD/Loyola Blakefield) scored one goal on one shot with five assists. Logan Foust (Ellicott City, MD/Mt. Hebron) had eight shots, while Jackson Shekore (Mount Airy, MD/South Carroll) and Jack Feys (Poolesville, MD/Poolesville) each caused two turnovers. Feys also scooped up four ground balls. Aidan Ro (Ellicott City, MD/Marriotts Ridge) went 12-30 on faceoffs with four ground balls, while Lewis Collora (Columbia, MD/Wilde Lake) made 22 saves.

The Dragons next challenge is a match with Herkimer County Community College on Friday, April 11 at 7:00 PM. A victory will clinch a berth in the national tournament for the Dragons.