Box Score MANSFIELD, Conn. – The Eastern Connecticut State University men's lacrosse team saved its first home win under first-year head coach Marc Graham for his first Little East Conference match as the Warriors shut out the University of Southern Maine over the first 16 minutes in a 13-9 triumph Saturday afternoon at Rick McCarthy Field in the LEC opener for both schools.
In winning for the 20th time in the 20-game series, Eastern (3-4) put the skids on a four-game losing streak, the last two of which came in the first two home matches. Southern Maine (3-3) was coming off its first win in three matches earlier this week in a 9-4 road win over NVU-Lyndon.
The Warriors doubled their average number of penalties this year and the six extra-man opportunities afforded Southern Maine were costly as the Huskies capitalized on three of them in the second half. By that time, however, Eastern had amassed a six-goal (10-4) lead. USM's final extra-man goal cut the margin to three, 12-9, with 8:37 left, but it would be the last strike of any kind the rest of the way for the visitors, with sophomore Jake Liebowitz' (Trumbull) third goal of the game and half (second in eight minutes) with just under seven minutes left effectively guaranteeing the victory.
Eastern's defense, which has allowed only nine goals per game this year, shut out its opponent through the first 16 minutes, allowing the Warriors to build a 3-0 lead on goals by junior Anthony Choronzy (Clinton), senior Matthew Rougeot (Cheshire) and freshman Garrett Lapham (Trumbull). By the time sophomore Joe Cullinane found the back of the net for USM with 5:22 left in the first half, the Warriors had moved out to a 6-1 lead.
Junior Jack Farrell (Stratford) made half of his 14 saves in the first quarter to set the tempo and an 8-3 halftime lead before sophomore John Funk (Southbury) finished up in net over the final two minutes.
Sophomore Tyler Stein (Milford) won half of his 20 faceoffs, the Warriors winning seven of nine in a five-goal second quarter. Stein won six ground balls, Rougeot, senior Trevor Ross (Stratford) and sophomore Tyler Koppy (Attleboro, MA) each picking up four. Lapham matched Liebowitz with three goals.
Sophomore Griffin Hanson stopped seven shots in net for USM and freshman defenseman Matthew Potter (Shelburne, VT) picked up four ground balls.
Eastern visits Keene State College Wednesday at 5 p.m. in a conference match.
