GLENSIDE, Pa. -- Swarthmore scored seven goals in what proved to be a decisive third quarter to hold off the Arcadia men's lacrosse team on Wednesday evening at Jean Lenox West Field and Delran Pavilion.
 
The Knights (3-4) hung with the undefeated Garnet (7-0), who are receiving votes in the latest USILA Top 20 poll, but a 7-2 scoring advantage for Swarthmore in the third quarter proved too much to overcome.
 
In the early going, it was the Knights who dictated the action, scoring three early goals for a 3-1 at 6:24 of the first quarter. Ryan Mahon opened the scoring off a feed from Brady Manion just 1:15 into the contest. After the Garnet's Austin Chang tied things at 1-1, Josh Keitz and Clo Muscara scored unassisted goals to put AU on top 3-1.
 
The Garnet stormed back, scoring the game's next four goals to take a 5-3 lead early in the second quarter. Wesley Sporer set up CJ Sherlock for a man up goal with 8:23 left in the first half to make it 5-4. Swarthmore added two more tallies in the period for a 7-4 lead at the break.
 
Muscara pumped in his second goal of the game less than a minute into the third period to trim the Knights' deficit to just 7-5, but a 7-1 run to close the third gave Swarthmore all the breathing room it would need at 14-6.
 
Arcadia made a late surge in the fourth, scoring three times in a span of just over two minutes to pull within 14-9, getting goals from Mahon, Manion and Sporer, but couldn't pull any closer despite shutting out the Garnet over the final 15:00.
 
Swarthmore won 18 of 26 faceoffs, helping the Garnet post a 52-29 edge in shots taken. Swarthmore actually committed more turnovers (23) than the Knights (22), but held a 43-29 edge in ground balls.
 
Grant Palmer started in goal for the Knights, making 12 saves and allowing 12 goals. Brendan Kuzminksi came in the fourth and made a pair of saves. Frankie Dillon allowed eight goals for the Garnet while making one save in 59:19 in the cage.
 
Six different Knights recorded multi-point games. Keitz led AU with three caused turnovers and added five ground balls. Ben LaRue had three ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers, and Muscara supplemented his two goals with five ground balls.
 
Jake Ross (1g/3a) and Austin Chang (3g) led the Garnet offense. Ryan Izquierdo was 16 for 22 at the faceoff X and added 10 ground balls and a goal. Will Vespole chipped in two goals, and assist and four ground balls.
 
Arcadia will host FDU-Florham on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.