Box Score
ALBANY, N.Y. – Five different players scored goals when the Eastern Connecticut State University men's lacrosse team outscored Russell Sage College by six goals in the third quarter to erase a one-goal halftime deficit and the Warriors went on to a 15-9 non-conference victory Wednesday afternoon at the ACP Athletic Complex.

Now 2-0 for the second straight season under second-year head coach Craig Gibson, Eastern avenged a two-goal loss to Sage (0-3) last year when the Gators recorded their first win after six opening losses and handed Eastern its fourth straight loss.

Trailing 5-4 at halftime, Eastern tied the match for the third and final time at 5-5 on the third of junior attack Warren Channing's (Glastonbury) career-high six goals two minutes into the second half, and went ahead for good a minute later on first-year attack Landon Mabb's (Sun Prairie, WI) first of two third-quarter goals.

Mabb, Channing, and junior midfielder Mike Stevenson (Shelton) all scored twice in Eastern's eight-goal third quarter when the Warriors collected 16 of their 41 shots. Sage managed only four goals on 11 shots in the second half.

Eastern's defense of starting close defenders Sean Ventresca (Montville), Eric Suzio (Meriden) and Jacob Shook (Wallingford) helped allow the Gators to put only 11 shots on cage, with sophomore goalie Gregory Hilinski (Shelton) needing only two saves to record his second win of the year. The Warriors' defense forced 35 turnovers (nine players causing at least one), with Suzio forcing five and picking up six ground balls and Channing causing three. Senior faceoff specialist Rick O'Neal (East Hartford) won three ground balls, as did first-year defenseman Jacob Corso (Guilford).

With goals, first-year Eastern players Cooper Piesco (New Fairfield) and Fabio Tirado (Newington) each recorded their first career points. Tirado scored on his first shot late in the first half off an assist from Mabb that tied the game at 4-4 and Piesco scored the third of Eastern's four straight goals that opened the second half and gave Eastern its first two-goal lead, 7-5, five minutes into the frame.

Channing also assisted on one goal for a career-high total of seven points, with Mabb finishing with five points on two goals and three assists. Channing and Stevenson combined to put 15 shots on goal as the Warriors put 30 on net, forcing Sage freshman goalie Jordon Hankel to make 15 saves.

Eastern opens its home season Saturday at noon at Rick McCarthy Field against non-conference opponent Farmingdale State College (2-2), which dropped a 19-4 loss on homestanding Sage in the Gators' season-opener a week ago. Since losing to Division II Lynn University (in overtime) and NAIA-affiliated Keiser University in Florida, Farmingdale has defeated Sage on the road and Hartwick College in its home-opener Saturday.

Farmingdale leads the all-time series with Eastern, 4-1, having won over the Warriors  the last two years by a combined score of 36-4.