EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry University Men's Lacrosse Team (1-9, 0-5 SAC) battled through adversity, including a lengthy lightning delay, but eventually fell in South Atlantic Conference play to Mars Hill University (2-9, 1-5 SAC) Wednesday evening. The Lions rattled off 10 second-half goals on their way to the 17-9 win.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Mars Hill 17, Emory & Henry 9
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Food City Sports Complex
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (1-9, 0-5 SAC); Mars Hill (2-9, 1-5 SAC)
How It Happened
- The Wasps drew first blood to begin the game as freshman attack Gavin Starling (McKinney, Texas) scored on an assist from junior attack Jacob Mills (Culpeper, Va.) to put E&H on top 1-0. MHU responded with back-to-back goals to take a 2-1 lead, but Emory & Henry tied things up at the 7:54 mark when sophomore midfielder David Mewes (Greenville, S.C.) scored unassisted to run the score to 2-2. Mars Hill took a temporary 3-2 lead, but again E&H had an answer when Mills found freshman attack Jackson Jones (Salem, Va.), who beat the goalie with 5:07 on the clock to make it 3-3. The Lions would record the final two goals of the quarter to take a 5-3 advantage into the second quarter.
- Another MHU goal pushed their margin out to 6-3, but the Wasps got back on the board at the 9:57 mark as Starling scored a shorthanded goal on a helper from sophomore defender Noah Parrish (Manassas, Va.) and Jones scored unassisted to bring E&H back within a goal at 6-5. Mars Hill would add one more score to lead 7-5 at the half.
- The Lions roared out of the halftime break, scoring three unanswered goals to balloon their advantage out to 10-5. Mewes got back on the score sheet at the 9:43 mark as he scored again unassisted to make it 10-6. MHU struck for two more goals to increase the margin back out to 12-6, but Mills broke up the run with a goal on an assist from Starling to trim the gap to 12-7. Mars Hill would finish on a 3-0 run for a 15-7 lead through three quarters.
- Emory & Henry was first on the board to start the fourth as Mewes completed his hat trick on a helper from Starling on the man-up advantage. Mars Hill got a goal back, but Starling found the back of the net just over a minute later to run the score to 16-9. The Lions would tally the final score of the contest at the 7:03 mark for the 17-9 victory.
Emory & Henry Individual Leaders
- Starling finished with three goals, two assists, one ground ball and a caused turnover while Mewes added a trio of scores. Mills contributed a goal and a pair of assists.
- Jones had a pair of scores and five ground balls while sophomore defender Kyle Dyott (Easton, Md.) went for a team-high six ground balls and three caused turnovers. Sophomore defender Isaiah Ward (Fredericksburg, Va.) posted a pair of ground balls and forced a pair of turnovers.
- Freshman goalie AJ Cakir (McKinney, Texas) made 20 saves and picked up a pair of ground balls in net.
Mars Hill Individual Leaders
- James Hartley paced the Lions with a game-high four goals and a ground ball while Jake Mannix added three goals, two assists and five round balls. Sam Arendt, Luke Moore, Dillon Buran, Charlie Howland and Aiden McNamara all finished with a pair of scores.
- Xavier Wells registered 16 saves in goal to earn the win for the Lions.
Up Next
- Emory & Henry hits the road this Saturday, April 4 when they travel to take on No. T-6 nationally-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University. Faceoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. from Hickory, North Carolina.
--E&H--