WALTHAM, Mass. – Bentley University erupted for five unanswered goals in the third period and held on for a 9-8 win over visiting Franklin Pierce University in Northeast-10 Conference men's lacrosse action Monday afternoon.

The five-goal third, which included goals from five different players, turned a 5-3 halftime deficit into an 8-5 lead and the Falcons went on to claim the Senior Day win, despite the Ravens (6-6, 4-5 NE-10) twice pulling within one goal in the fourth.

The third quarter comeback began with senior J.D. Ayer (Rochester, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit HS) scoring 96 seconds after play resumed. Junior Steve Caditz (Mercer Island, Wash./Mercer Island HS) netted the equalizer with 9:55 left and senior Brendan Grant (Walpole/Xaverian Bros. HS) put the Falcons in front to stay with 7:31 remaining on the third-period clock.

Goals by sophomore Nick Astarita (Bedford, N.H./Bishop Guertin HS) and senior Richard Travers (Longmeadow/Longmeadow HS) extended the Falcon advantage to three heading into the fourth.

It remained an 8-5 game until senior Jimmy McInnis (Amherst, N.H.) scored for Franklin Pierce midway through the final stanza. Nearly three minutes later, senior Ryan Dintaman (Northfield) netted a man-up goal and all of a sudden, the Ravens were within one at 8-7.

Ayer answered with 3:14 to go, but Dintaman's third of the contest again made it a one-goal game, this time with 52 seconds left.  Franklin Pierce gained control of the faceoff, but Bentley freshman Mike Rotondo (Glastonbury, Conn./Xavier HS ) forced a turnover and came up with the ground ball to essentially lock up the victory.

Ayer, Caditz and senior Justin Holmes (Brookfield, Conn./Berkshire School) all had two goals in a balanced Bentley offensive attack. Dintaman's three goals were matched by McInnis as the two combined for six of Franklin Pierce's eight goals.

Junior Josh Baker (Randolph, N.J./Randolph HS) took over the netminding duties for Bentley at the half and made eight saves en route to the win. Freshman Don Denman (Exeter, N.H.) made 15 stops for the Ravens.

Bentley had a significant advantage in shots, 45-24 overall and 19-4 during the game-changing third quarter.

Bentley (4-7, 4-4 NE-10) closes out the regular season with games at American International Wednesday and Adelphi Saturday.