#6 Men's Lacrosse Eases by Assumption, 14-3, in Season Opener Saturday
Links: Box Score | Allen Postgame Comments
LOWELL, Mass. – Sophomore Max Allen (West Caldwell, N.J.) posted the program's first six-goal game in three years, as the sixth-ranked Merrimack College men's lacrosse team cruised to a 14-3 season-opening victory against Assumption on Saturday at Cushing Field.
The Basics
Score: #6 Merrimack 14, Assumption 3
Records: #6 Merrimack (1-0, 1-0 NE-10) | Assumption (0-2, 0-1 NE-10)
Location: Cushing Field | Lowell, Mass.
How It Happened
Despite having to move the site of play earlier this week, Merrimack enjoyed benefits as similar to home-field advantage at the Cushing Field Complex as one could expect, as the Warriors built themselves a 6-0 halftime lead and carried a shutout over 44:49 of regulation before allowing Assumption's first goal.
Allen was the story of the day, as the sophomore became the first player to register a six-goal performance since former All-American Corey Lunney ('13) did so against Southern New Hampshire on April 6, 2013.
Meanwhile in net, sophomore Dom Madonna (Liverpool, N.Y.) was brilliant, turning away 10 shots to pick up the win. Assumption's Will Contento fell to 0-2 despite a 15-save performance.
Merrimack tickled the twine early and often on Saturday, using four goals in the first to set the tone. Allen totaled three of those tallies then, while junior Ryan Poirier (Warwick, R.I.) also buried his first of the year late in the frame, as the Warriors carried a 4-0 advantage into the first intermission.
Allen's historic afternoon continued in the second, as the second-year Warrior needed only 16 seconds to notch another and then lit the proverbial lamp again just over a minute afterward to bump the Warriors' lead to 6-0. That score wouldn't change the rest of the half, as Merrimack carried a six-goal edge into the break after outshooting the Greyhounds by a 22-8 margin over the first 30 minutes, including a 13-4 edge in shots on goal.
Junior Tim Towler (Topsfield, Mass.) upped the lead to seven on his first marker of the year early in the third before senior Kyle Guilbert (Walpole, Mass.) found the back of the net as well, making it an 8-0 affair. Assumption would finally get on the board with 11 seconds left in the third stanza, as John Greco buried a behind-the-net feed from Conor Darby to make it an 8-1 contest at the end of 45 minutes.
Paul Curran got the visitors to within six (8-2) on a quick strike only 17 seconds into the final frame, but Merrimack responded with six of the game's final seven goals, as Guilbert, Towler, Poirier, Allen and senior Andrew Vivian (Slingerlands, N.Y.) scored to round out the night.
Inside The Numbers
- Six different Warriors recorded a point, as senior Jamie Shand (Massapequa, N.Y.) led the side with three helpers and sophomore Tucker Schwarz (Tallahassee, Fla.) picked up an assist, as well
- Towler also notched a hat trick, while Poirier and Guilbert also posted two-goal performances in addition to Allen's six-score night
- Merrimack outshot Assumption by a 47-18 margin and owned a 27-22 lead in ground balls, as well
- The Warriors also went 5-for-8 on man-up opportunities while stymying the Greyhounds on all five of their extra-man opportunities
- Merrimack's defense stepped up in a big way, as seven different players caused a turnover en route to forcing 16 Greyhound miscues
Up Next
Merrimack next returns to the pitch in a week to face nationally ranked Dowling on Saturday, March 7, at Martone-Mejail Field. First whistle is set for 1 p.m.
--
For continuing coverage of Merrimack College Athletics, visit MerrimackAthletics.com and follow the Warriors on Twitter and on Facebook.
