Sacred Heart Lacrosse Players Face Sexual Assault Allegations

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The attorney for a Sacred Heart University lacrosse player charged with helping two teammates sexually assault a woman says the accusations are a gross exaggeration of alcohol-fueled hijinks.

Wayne Keeney, who represents 19-year-old Timothy Sanders of Ashburn, Va., says Sanders and the 18-year-old female student were having consensual sex when two teammates sneaked into the dorm room as a prank.

But he says the other two students — 19-year-old Nicholas Travers of Smithtown, N.Y., and 18-year-old Zachari Triner of Marshfield, Mass. — had no sexual contact with her. She has said Sanders held her down while the other two raped her.

Police say all three were charged Sunday with conspiracy to commit first-degree sexual assault. Sacred Heart officials declined to comment, but Keeney confirmed all three have been suspended from school and the lacrosse team.

Travers and Triner are free after posting $25,000 bond, the Post reports. Sanders was arraigned on Monday and his bond was reduced to $15,000 and the case was continued to Jan. 5.