USAFA, Colo.—The Bellarmine University lacrosse team claimed a 2-0 first quarter lead only to see the host Air Force Academy Falcons go on an 8-0 run over the next 23 minutes of game action and hang on for the 12-8 Eastern College Athletic Conference victory.

The Knights, playing their second game in a span of just 41 hours, started the game's scoring 11:16 into the contest when Cameron Gardner converted a Colton Clark pass for a goal.  The visitors went up 2-0 less than two minutes later on Ryan Scinta's goal.

Air Force then scored with the speed and precision of a falcon, winning the faceoff and getting three different touches before Tommy McKee scored just six seconds after Scinta's goal.

The score ignited an 8-0 run by the Falcons during which Bellarmine was shut out in the second period as the Knights couldn't convert on eight shots in the quarter.

Bellarmine finally broke through at the 8:46 mark of the third period when Clark scored the first of his three goals on a man-up opportunity for the Knights to trim the Falcon lead to 8-3. 

The Knights scored twice more in the third as Air Force took a 9-5 advantage into the final period.  After surrendering the first goal of the period, Bellarmine scored the next two to close to within 10-7, but three goal differential would be as close as the Knights could get the rest of the way. 

McKee led all scorers totaling seven points on five goals and two assists for the Falcons.  Clark was the Bellarmine offensive leader with three goals and an assist. 

The Falcons posted solid defensive numbers, picking up nine more ground balls than Bellarmine (32-23), and forced Bellarmine into 19 turnovers.  Bellarmine goalie Dillon Ward recorded 13 saves on the day, while USAF's Austin Fox got the win while posting seven saves.

Bellarmine falls to 3-6 (0-5 ECAC) on the season while Air Force improves to 6-4, 1-2.

The Knights return to action on Saturday, when they face Hobart in their final home game of the season. Game time is set for 1 p.m., with a brief pre-game ceremony to honor the team's seniors.

BOX SCORE