LAX Grabs First Win at MCLA

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The Mitchell College men's lacrosse team picked up its first win of the season on Saturday afternoon, winning by an 18-6 final over Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts at Shewcraft Field.

Four Mariners finished with at least a hat trick on the day, with Jade Shields leading the pack with a career-high five goals and an assist. Ethan LePain added four goals and two helpers while James Giovanniello and Tyler McManus chipped in three goals apiece. 

Marcel Quinlan played all but the final 8:44 in goal and recorded 11 saves to nab the win. Desmond Knowles paced the Mitchell defense with seven ground balls and one caused turnover. 

The Mariners outscored the Trailblazers in every quarter, beginning with a 4-1 advantage in the opening period. Mitchell did the same in the second to lead 8-2 by intermission. LePain and Nick Loris each netted a pair of goals in the half to lead the way.

Shields came out hot to start the second half, scoring back-to-back goals in the first three minutes of the stanza. He added another later in the quarter as the Mariners opened up a double-digit lead heading into the final 15 minutes. The margin climbed to as many as 13 in the fourth as Mitchell sewed up the win.

Mitchell (1-2 overall) will next play at Sage Colleges on Monday, March 2 at 4 p.m.