LANCASTER, Pa. – The Connecticut College men's lacrosse team suffered an 8-7 setback against Hamilton College on Saturday afternoon in the opening round of the Headstrong Diplomat Classic at Shadek Stadium.

Neither team led by more than a goal in the second half, but the Continentals never trailed after going up 6-5 late in the third. The Camels made up a pair of one-goal deficits in the fourth quarter but needed one more, falling short in the final minutes against their NESCAC rivals. 

Liam Horkan (Malden, Mass.) and Andrew Rainville (Watertown, Conn.) each finished with a pair of goals and an assist to lead the Camels. Graydon Diamond (New Canaan, Conn.), Will Zaslow (Trumbull, Conn.) and Harrison Zmijewski (San Jose, Calif.) also added tallies on the day, and Patrick Hogan (Wyckoff, N.J.) recorded five saves in goal.

Conn got off to a great start and led 2-0 after the opening period. Zaslow went five-hole on the Hamilton goalie for the first marker of the game with 3:47 left in the quarter, and a little over two minutes later Horkan cleaned up a rebound in front of the cage for the second.

The Continentals scored the first three goals of the second quarter to pull ahead, but Rainville fed Horkan for his second tally with 1:03 to go in the half. However, Hamilton snuck in a goal before the halftime horn to lead 4-3 at intermission.

Conn evened the score right out of the break, as Zmijewski scored from 10 yards out on the right wing off a pass from Horkan. Rainville later put the Camels on top 5-4 with a pretty move from behind the cage, cutting up the left side before wheeling and firing over his left shoulder for the goal.

Trailing 6-5 heading into the fourth quarter, Conn equalized at the 12-minute mark after Horkan won a crucial ground ball at midfield and that ignited a two-on-one break. The play ended with Sofarelli feeding Rainville for an open look and score.

After Frank Coyle put the Continentals back in front, Diamond answered right back with an unassisted tally to make it a 7-7 game with 7:20 remaining. Hamilton took the lead for good with 3:43 to go on a goal by Ryan Olivo, and Conn managed only one more shot the rest of the way and came up empty on the final possession of the game.

Conn (3-2 overall, 0-2 NESCAC) will next play Endicott College in the consolation game of the Headstrong Diplomat Classic on Sunday, March 15 at 2:30 p.m.