C.W. Post emerged with the Division II Men’s Lacrosse Championship in a see-saw game with rival Le Moyne, winning the title game, 8-7, over the Dolphins on Sunday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Greg Cerar, named the tournament’s most outstanding player, scored four second-half goals and goaltender Daniel Sciulla protected the net as the Pioneers exacted revenge after losing to Le Moyne earlier this season.

“(In the first game earlier this season,) our offense wasn’t ready for a defense like that,” Cerar said. “They have a great defense – one of the best in the nation. Ever since that first game, we were able to get all six guys on the offense to work together.”

The Dolphins scored first, just 12 seconds into the game. But C.W. Post fired back, scoring three consecutive goals in the first quarter before the Dolphins answered with a second goal. The Pioneers’ Dave Loftus picked up a ground ball and converted the open shot as the clock ticked down on the first quarter, putting his team ahead, 4-2. The teams’ defense went on display in the second quarter, and Le Moyne defender Jikado Hanna scored the period’s only goal, making the halftime score 4-3.

The Dolphins came out of the locker room strong, tying the game at four nearly four minutes into the second half. C.W. Post answered about six minutes later, only to see the Dolphins tie the score at 5 about a minute later.

Cerar took over, scoring two consecutive goals in the final three minutes of the third quarter, one between goaltender Doug McIver’s legs and the second with just seconds to go in the period to make the score 7-5 at the end of the quarter.

Le Moyne started the fourth quarter with a Jack Harmatuck bounce shot into the net from 10 yards out. The next 13 minutes were scoreless before Loftus found Cerar in front of an open goal.

The championship was the Pioneers’ second.  C.W. Post coach John Jez said the win helped the team overcome the “hiccup” it had earlier in the season – and he predicted the two teams would always play tough.

“Every year, it’s going to be a battle,” Jez said. “For the past five or six times we’ve played, it’s been a one- or two-goal game. I’m sure it’s going to continue that way for a while. … We’re just really happy. Our university is really happy, and we’re just proud of all our guys.”

Championship game

1. W. Post        4          0          3          1—8

Le Moyne        2          1          2          2—7

C.W. Post scoring – Greg Cerar 4, Dave Loftus 2, Matt Dimler, Joe Meo.

Le Moyne scoring – Jack Harmatuck 3, Jack Venditti 1, Tyler Sennett 1, Brooks Robinson 1, Jikado Hanna 1.

Saves: Daniel Sciulla (C.W. Post) 13. Doug McIver (Le Moyne) 11.