#3 Men's Lacrosse Defeats #19 Molloy, 13-5, Saturday
Links: Box Score
ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. – The third-ranked Merrimack College men's lacrosse team was impressive on all three ends of the turf for the second straight week, as the Warriors secured a 2-0 start to the season with a thorough 13-5 victory at 19th-ranked Molloy on Saturday afternoon on Long Island.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 13, Molloy 5
Records: #3 Merrimack (2-0) | #19 Molloy (2-1)
Location: RVC Sports Complex | Rockville Centre, N.Y.
Turning Points
- Holding only a one-goal lead, senior Max Allen (West Caldwell, N.J.) scored twice in a 30-second span late in the first quarter to give the Warriors a 3-0 lead that set the tone early.
- Molloy would twice cut the deficit to two, including early in the third quarter, but the Warriors closed out the remainder of the third frame on a 4-1 run to restore their previously held five-goal lead that they would never relinquish.
How It Happened
- Merrimack scored the first five goals of the game in an otherwise defensive opening quarter that saw a total of 12 turnovers between the two teams.
- Senior John Bassett (Clifton Park, N.Y.) found the back of the net for the first time this season just past the five-minute mark, and five minutes later it was Allen who scored twice in a 30-second span to give the Warriors a 3-0 lead that stood through the remainder of the quarter.
- That lead grew to as many as five goals after junior Kyle Stenberg (Allandale, N.J.) and freshman Charlie Bertrand (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) each scored to push the Warriors out to a 5-0 edge midway through the second quarter, but Molloy closed out the half with three straight goals to make it a two-goal lead at the midway point.
- An early extra-man opportunity at the start of the third gave way to another tally from Bertrand, but Molloy was quick to respond just over a minute later to keep it a two-goal game (6-4).
- But the Warriors would close out the remainder of the third frame on a 4-1 run with goals coming off the sticks of junior Eric Coburn (Londonderry, N.H.), Bertrand, junior Dean Prouty (Hanover, Mass.) and Bassett to send them into the final stanza ahead by a 10-5 margin.
- Merrimack would add three more fourth-quarter markers from both Stenberg (2) and sophomore Michael O'Connell (Sudbury, Mass.) to account for the final margin of victory.
Notes and Notables
- Bertrand was impressive again in leading the Warriors in scoring with five points (3g, 2a) and posted a hat trick in his second straight game. Stenberg also finished with a hat trick for the second game in a row.
- Coburn's goal was only the fourth of his career and first since a two-score game against Bentley last April 23 in a 12-8 win.
- Prouty, meanwhile, netted his first goal of the season; he missed the final seven games of last year with an injury and recorded his first tally since a 19-7 win against Franklin Pierce last April 12.
- Saturday's meeting was only the third one in 10 years between Merrimack and Molloy, as the Warriors defeated the Lions for the second straight season.
Team Leaders (MC // MOL)
- Points: Bertrand (5) // C. Kelly (3)
- Goals: Bertrand/Stenberg (3) // K. Pastier/C. Slane (2)
- Assists: Three players (2) // C. Kelly (3)
- Faceoffs: Blake Boudreau (12-17) // F. Sciulla (7-20)
- Caused Turnovers: James Bassett (2) // J. Greenidge (3)
- Saves: Edward Hellier (10-for-15) // R. Toomey (11-for-24)
Team Comparisons (MC // MOL)
- EMO: 1-2 // 1-3
- Shot Attempts: 40 // 35
- Ground Balls: 30 // 25
- Clears: 15-21 // 13-18
- Turnovers: 20 // 15
Up Next
Merrimack will play its first home and conference game of the year when it welcomes Southern New Hampshire to town next Saturday (March 4) for a Northeast-10 Conference matchup at Martone-Mejail Field. First whistle is set for 3 p.m.
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