LAX Pulls Away in Second Half for 11-5 Win

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College men's lacrosse team used a strong second half to pull away from SUNY Cobleskill by an 11-5 final on Saturday afternoon in non-conference action at New London High School.

The Mariners outscored the Fighting Tigers 7-2 over the final 30 minutes. Sophomore Dan DiGioia and senior David Klapp each netted hat tricks for Mitchell while freshman JD LeMay made 11 saves in goal. Austin Hackett led Cobleskill with two goals and an assist while goalie Eric Randazzo made 13 stops.

DiGioia put Mitchell on the board nearly five minutes into the contest with an unassisted effort in front of the cage. Senior Demetre Lyras added a goal just over five minutes later to put the Mariners up 2-0, though Cobleskill answered with 2:30 to go in the period when Garrett Petit found Hackett for a score. DiGioia then closed out the first quarter scoring with his second marker to give Mitchell a 3-1 cushion.

The Tigers clawed back in the second quarter to tie the game at 3-3 behind scores from Troy Rossi and Ryan Kissane. Junior Jordan Cook bumped the Mariners back in front with a tally with 4:35 to play in the half, and the 4-3 margin held until intermission.

Mitchell opened the second half with five straight goals to take control of the game. Klapp got things going just 29 seconds into the period, netting the first of his three goals in the period. DiGioia followed suit minutes later, scooping up a saved shot to the left of the cage and depositing a shot into an open net. Klapp then recorded a pair of goals less than 1:30 apart, and Lyras scored with a man advantage to give Mitchell's its largest lead at 9-3.

The teams traded goals in the final 2:30 of the third quarter and then again in the fourth. Hackett's second marker came with 9:12 remaining in the contest off a feed from Max Sprauer.

Mitchell went 2-for-3 on the day in extra-man opportunities and killed off all but one of its five penalties. The Mariners held a 31-26 advantage in ground balls while shots were even at 33 apiece.

Mitchell (3-2 overall) will next host the College of Mount Saint Vincent on Wednesday, March 19 at 4 p.m.