LAX Blanks Wheelock, Improves to 3-0 in NECC

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College men's lacrosse team shut out Wheelock College by a 13-0 final on Monday afternoon in a New England Collegiate Conference showdown at Alumni Field.

Mitchell goalie JD LeMay made 15 saves against 24 shots to record his first career shutout. Defensively the Mariners posted a season-high 19 caused turnovers and held a 43-31 edge in ground balls. Maximilian Crowley caused a game-high five turnovers while Brian Jordan led all players with eight ground balls.

Owen LaPorte led the Mitchell offense with four goals and an assist while McCarthy Brodaski and Kyle Marsh each added hat tricks. Brodaski also had two assists to tie LaPorte with five points on the day.

Mitchell jumped in front in the opening 14 seconds when Will Ryan-Johnson scooped up a ground ball on the face-off and fed LaPorte for the game's first goal. The Mariners tacked on three more in the period as Marsh scored twice to bookend a goal from Brodaski.

LaPorte netted a pair of goals in the second half, including one in the closing seconds, as the Mariners increased the margin to 7-0 by the break. Marsh and Setzko completed their hat tricks in the second half as Mitchell added four goals in the third and two more in the fourth.

Mitchell won 10 of 17 face-offs in the contest led by a 6-for-10 effort by Spencer Daniel. The Mariners went 1-for-6 with a man advantage and killed off all eight of Wheelock's extra-man chances.

The Wildcats had several good looks but couldn't get anything past LeMay. Eddie Romero put 10 of his 12 shots on goal but came up empty. Noah Horning made six saves in the cage for Wheelock.

Mitchell (4-5 overall, 3-0 NECC) will next play at Mount Ida College on Saturday, April 16 at noon. Wheelock (5-5 overall, 0-2 NECC) returns to action at Regis College on Saturday at 1 p.m.