GLENSIDE, Pa. -- The Arcadia men's lacrosse team closed out its regular season on Saturday with a 19-10 loss to Stevenson at Jean Lenox West Field.
 
Even with the loss, the Knights clinched a berth in the MAC Commonwealth Championships for the first time in program history. Hood's loss to Lycoming allowed the Knights to get into the tournament as the No. 5 seed. They will take on No. 4 Widener in the opening round. Arcadia finishes the regular season at 9-8 overall and 4-4 in league play. Both the nine wins overall and the four conference wins are program records.
 
Joe Pedisich and Clo Muscara scored three goals apiece to lead the Scarlet & Grey, but a huge offensive surge from the Mustangs (10-7, 8-0) over the second and third quarters proved too much for the Knights.
 
A two-goal deficit to open the second quarter (4-2) was trimmed to just one when Pedisich set up Tanner Pajakinas on the crease to make it 4-3 at the 13:50 mark. The Mustangs responded with six unanswered tallies to stretch its lead to 10-3 with just over two minutes left in the opening half.
 
Wesley Sporer halted the run, netting his 28th goal of the season with just 28 seconds left in the half that put the score at 10-4 at the break.
 
Stevenson seized control in the third, however, outscoring Arcadia 8-0 in taking an 18-4 lead. The Knights' offense woke up in the fourth as Muscara opened the period with back-to-back tallies inside the first two minutes. After the Mustangs scored their final goal with 8:57 to play, the Knights scored four times in a span of 4:51 to account for the final 19-10 margin. Pedisich pumped in two more goals during the span, and Brady Manion and Muscara closed out the scoring.
 
The Mustangs held a 63-29 edge in shots, including a 42-11 advantage in the decisive second and third quarters. The Knights rebounded to outshoot the Mustangs 13-3 in the fourth quarter. Arcadia committed 29 turnovers to 19 for Stevenson, but picked up 40 ground balls to 37 for the Mustangs. The Knights also doubled up Stevenson at the faceoff X, winning 20 of 30.
 
Josh Keitz led the Knights with eight ground balls, and Conor Cunningham added seven while taking every faceoff for the Knights. Four different players caused two turnovers, including Muscara, Joe Trovato, Ben La Rue and Parker Hartline. Manion, Pajakinas and Sporer all contributed a goal and an assist.
 
Brendan Kuzminski started in goal and played 36:48 making 10 saves against 15 goals allowed. Timmy Fycock played the final 23:12 and made four saves with four goals allowed.
 
The Knights will now kick off the MAC Commonwealth Championships on Monday at Widener at a time yet to be determined. The Knights posted a 9-8 OT win over the Pride in Glenside earlier this season.