By Jensyn Hartzell
Sports Editor
The Centennial Conference home-opener for the Washington College men’s lacrosse team was played on Saturday, March 26, on the Kibler Field. The Shoremen hosted the Muhlenberg College Mules.
The Shoremen trailed the Mules 4–1 in the first quarter. Senior Ewan Temple was able to put the Shoremen on the board with an unassisted goal.
Junior Logan Clefisch cut the Mules’ lead in half with less than two minutes remaining, but the Mules responded with another goal. The score was 5–2 entering the second quarter.
The Mules furthered their lead with four consecutive goals, which put them 7–2 over the Shoremen at halftime.
Within the first five minutes of the third quarter, junior Brady McFalls, assisted by junior Luke Brennan, and sophomore Mac Hale, unassisted, scored. Brennan scored himself within the next two minutes, unassisted.
After the Mules scored once, the Shoremen repaid them with their fourth goal of the quarter, scored by freshman Cory Morgan and assisted by Hale. The Mules managed to score two more times in the remaining five minutes.
At 10–6, Mules, the fourth quarter of the competition began. The Shoremen went back and forth with the Mules, who scored first. Temple, assisted by Brennan, hit his second goal of the game, but the Mules swiftly scored again.
With a little over two minutes left in the final quarter, Hale scored his second unassisted goal to cut the Mules’ lead to four points at 12–8.
The Mules scored once more, which finalized their victory, 13–8.
Temple and Hale both scored the game-high of two points; Hale achieved his career-high of three overall points with the inclusion of his assist. Brennan achieved the game-high of two assists and senior Ryan Leahy racked up 20 saves inside the goal, which tied his career-high.
Hale was also named the Goose Nation TV Shoreman Player of the game for his performance.
The Shoremen will challenge the in-Conference Gettysburg College Bullets next on Saturday, April 2, on the Kibler Field at 4 p.m. They will enter this game with an overall record of 1–5 and a Conference record of 0–1.
The WC women’s lacrosse team also hosted the Mules for their Conference-opener on Saturday, March 26.
The Mules put themselves on the board first in the opening quarter, but the Shorewomen responded with a single goal, scored by senior Sydney Allender and assisted by sophomore Abby Laubach; the Mules scored once more within the next three minutes.
The Shoremen scored five consecutive goals to push themselves ahead, 6–2. The run was ignited by sophomore Morgan Sutherland, helped by senior Molly Sharpe. Allender added two goals in the mix, both assisted by Laubach, who scored an unassisted goal herself. Junior Ellie Morrall then scored in the final seconds of the quarter.
In the second quarter, senior Colleen Keefe extended the Shorewomen’s run to six with an unassisted goal, but the Mules retaliated with three goals of their own. Sophomore Ashley Devlin ended their run, unassisted, but the Mules scored twice more to almost tie the Shorewomen.
The Shorewomen led 8–7 at halftime.
Sutherland fed Sharpe an assist in the first minute of the third quarter, which was followed by Devlin scoring by herself. The Mules scored minutes after. Sutherland finished the quarter with the final goal, allowing the Shorewomen a comfortable 11–8 lead again.
Laubach scored the first goal in the final quarter and again after the Mules managed two more points. Sutherland scored the final goal of the game; the Shorewomen won, 14–10.
Allender, Sutherland, and Laubach all achieved the game-high of three goals. Laubach also earned the game-high of three assists in addition to causing three turnovers and five draw controls. In the goal, junior Sydney Wingate had seven saves.
Laubach was named Goose Nation TV Shorewomen of the Game. The Shorewomen now have an overall record of 3–5 and a Conference record of 1–0. They will face Gettysburg College on Saturday, April 2, on the Kibler Field next. The in-Conference game will begin at 1 p.m.
Photos by Grace Hazelhurst
