Hillman now eighth student-athlete in program history with 100 goals

MILTON, Mass. – Senior attackman Matthew Hillman (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) scored his 100th career goal at the 5:59 mark of the fourth period to highlight the Wheaton College men's lacrosse team's 11-5 victory over Curry College in non-conference action on Wednesday evening at Walter M. Katz Field.

Needing two strikes entering today's matchup to reach the century mark, Hillman found the back of net twice during the fourth period (10:10, 5:59) to become the eighth student-athlete in program history to register 100 career goals. Hillman has now joined an illustrious group of student-athletes in the men's lacrosse program that features Adam Norris '97, Jonathan Chapman '97, Chris Landers '11, Ben Cederberg '11, Josh Pierce '99, Billy McNamara '13 and Zak Putnam '04.

Norris is the all-time leading point scorer (227) and goal scorer (173), while Chapman and Landers rank second and third on the career goals list with 147 and 128 markers, respectively. Additionally, Hillman now sits nine goals shy of tying Putnam for seventh place all-time on the career goals list.

First-year Scott Whear (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury), sophomore Will Morrison (Osterville, Mass./Salisbury School) and junior Kyle Rumberger (Hyannis, Mass./Barnstable) matched Hillman with two goals each to pace the Lyons' offense. First-years Zachary Brode (Boulder, Colo./Boulder), Griffin Phaneuf (Manchester, N.H./The Derryfield School) and sophomore Devin Higgins (Nantucket, Mass./Nantucket) all chipped in with one goal apiece to round out the scoring for Wheaton.

The Blue and White also assisted on eight out of their 11 goals on the day, which included a game-high two helpers from Brode.

Curry received solo tallies from Brandon Flaim (Pembroke, Mass./Pembroke), Connor McKeon (Larchmont, N.Y./Mamaroneck), John McMenomey (West Linn, Ore./West Linn), Ronald Jensen (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community) and Dominick Marcella (Hull, Mass./Hull).

Wheaton, who has scored ten or more goals in five out of its six contests this season, outshot Curry by a 44-35 margin in the victory, while the Colonels held a 33-26 differential in ground balls. The Lyons also went 19-for-21 in clear attempts and 8-for-19 at the face-off X. Curry senior face-off specialist Peter Duggan (Rocky Point, N.Y./Herkimer CC) guided the hosts to an 11-for-19 showing at the face-off X by winning eight out of his 14 attempts.

Lyons' junior goalkeeper Ryan Clair (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School) stopped a career-high 17 shots to improve to 4-2 on the season. Clair surpassed his previous career-high of 16 saves today, which was set on March 18, 2014 against Eastern Connecticut State University.

Sophomore goalkeeper Shane O'Brien (East Falmouth, Mass./East Falmouth) stopped a career-high 12 shots in the loss (2-2 overall).

Whear opened up the scoring for the Lyons for the fourth time this season with his tenth strike of the year at 13:05 off a slick feed by sophomore Kyle Neale (Brooklyn, N.Y./Saint James School) for a 1-0 advantage.

Curry responded with back-to-back tallies from Jensen and McMenomey at the 7:58 and 6:48 marks, respectively, but the Lyons answered with an 8-0 run that spanned into the third period to take a commanding 9-2 lead.

Flaim finally countered for Curry with one second remaining in third via a set-up by McKeon for his fifth goal of the season to make it 9-3 and break up Wheaton's offensive spurt.

Hillman then stole the show in the final period etching his name into the program record books with back-to-back tallies to begin play and clinch the triumph for the Lyons.

Defensively, Curry first-year defender Chris Bronander (Glen Ridge, N.J./Glen Ridge) scooped up a career-high six ground balls and caused two turnovers, while sophomore long stick midfielder Matt Filardo (East Greenwich, R.I./The Prout School) paced the visitors with four ground balls and two caused turnovers.

Wheaton (4-2) hosts Eastern Connecticut State University on Wednesday, March 25 at 4 p.m. on Nordin Field. Curry (3-2) takes on Salem State University this Saturday at home at 1 p.m.

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