A felony assault charge against a Roanoke College lacrosse player was reduced to a misdemeanor, then dismissed earlier this week in Salem General District Court.

Brendan Nizolek, 21, a sophomore from Madison., Conn., was charged in April with malicious wounding and assault after police were called to a fight at a party in the 500 block of Roanoke Boulevard.

Salem police Lt. Mike Green said after the incident that Nizolek was charged with felony assault because of the nature of the injuries to one of the two complainants, Jordan Carey, 20, of Richmond. The day after his arrest, however, Nizolek pressed assault charges against Carey.

But earlier this week Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Matt Pollard reduced the malicious wounding charge against Nizolek, saying he did not believe the evidence supported a felony prosecution. He also dropped the charge against Carey, which he said he believed to be retaliatory.

Nizolek's defense attorney, Tony Anderson, said the two men were then able to resolve their dispute and the case was dismissed by the court.

"It was nothing more than a couple of college students in a fight with a little more damage than either would've wanted," Anderson said Friday, but he would not disclose the details of the agreement that was struck.

Nizolek, who is on the Roanoke College men's lacrosse team, has been suspended from playing, according to school spokeswoman Teresa Gereaux. The suspension comes at a key time in the team's season -- Sunday, the Maroons play in the Division III semifinals against Salisbury University and, if they win, would advance to the national championships next weekend.

"We had hoped he could be reinstated and still hold out that hope," Anderson said.

"We don't anticipate him returning for this season," Gereaux said. Although she declined to discuss whether he had faced disciplinary actions because of the student conduct code, she said his student status remained active.

Nizolek also faces a misdemeanor assault charge placed from the same incident, but is not due in court on that matter until December.