NORTON, Mass. – Senior attackman Emmett Edwards (Sunderland, Vt.) netted a game-high six goals, including the 100th of his career, to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) men's lacrosse team over visiting Eastern Connecticut State University, 12-6, this evening at Nordin Field on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons improve to 7-2 on the season, while the Warriors slip to 1-2.
Wheaton owned a 34-26 shot advantage, including 23-12 in the second half. The Warriors committed 22 turnovers, while the Lyons were guilty of 15 miscues. Eastern Connecticut won seven of 11 face-offs in the opening half, but Wheaton held a 5-4 edge in the second half.
Edwards added an assist, four ground balls and a caused turnover for the Lyons, while junior attacker Theo Stamatel (Plainville, Mass.) tallied four points, including three goals in addition to a ground ball. Junior middie Evan Paturzo (Bellingham, Mass.) netted a pair of goals and added a ground ball and senior attackman Charlie Goodrich (Fairfield, Conn.) recorded a game-high four assists to go with four ground balls. Junior defender Henry Stamatel (Plainville, Mass.) picked up a career-high seven ground balls to go with three caused turnovers. Junior goalie Evan Borchert (Littleton, Colo.) registered eight saves for Wheaton.
Sophomore attackman Landon Mabb (Sun Prairie, Wis.) led the Warriors with a trio of goals in addition to a ground ball and senior attacker Warren Channing (Glastonbury, Conn.) scored a goal, assisted on another, picked up three ground balls and caused a turnover. Junior attacker Tanner Drobish (Wallingford, Conn.) contributed with a goal, an assist and a pair of ground balls. Junior netminder Gregory Hilinski (Shelton, Conn.) made 13 saves for Eastern Connecticut.
The Warriors controlled the first quarter, taking a 5-2 lead, before the Lyons roared back with seven unanswered goals and 10 of the last 11 to close out the contest for the victory. Wheaton scored the only three goals of the second quarter, including two from Edwards to knot the game at 5-5 before the end of the first half.
Edwards netted the first two markers of the third quarter and Theo Stamatel capped a four-goal burst in the third period to give the Lyons a 9-5 margin with 3:22 to play in the quarter. Eastern Connecticut's lone goal of the second half came in the third quarter when sophomore midfielder Cooper Piesco (New Fairfield, Conn.) intercepted a pass in Wheaton's defensive zone and drove in for his first goal of the season to cut the deficit to 9-6 with 2:28 showing in the third quarter.
The Lyons scored the final three goals of the contest – all in the fourth quarter – including Edwards' 20th of the year and 100th of his tenure in Norton at 12:22 of the fourth quarter to become just the ninth player in program history to reach the century mark for goals. Theo Stamatel and Paturzo scored the final two goals of the match to give Wheaton a six-goal win.
Mabb opened the game with a goal just 33 seconds into the contest to put the Warriors on the board, before Edwards and Theo Stamatel countered with back-to-back goals to give the Lyons a 2-1 edge with 9:48 to play in the first quarter.
Eastern Connecticut reeled off four straight goals, including two from Mabb and a score from Drobish to give the visitors a 5-2 advantage with 41 ticks remaining in the opening period.
The Lyons return on Saturday, March 21, hosting Emerson College in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference action at 1:00 p.m. on Nordin Field, while the Warriors host University of Massachusetts Boston on March 23 at 4:00 p.m. to open the Little East Conference slate.
