MLAX Drops Conference Opener to ENC
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Eastern Nazarene (1-5, 1-0) | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 18 |
|
Mitchell (0-11, 0-1) | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 11 |
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College men's lacrosse team opened up New England Collegiate Conference play on Saturday afternoon at home, falling to Eastern Nazarene College 18-11. The victory was the first of the season for the Lions (1-5) as well as the first win in program history.
Freshman Xavier Haney (Montville, Conn.) powered the Mitchell offense, finishing with five goals and one assist. Additionally, junior Dylan Kinsella (Waterbury, Conn.) recorded his first career hat trick for the Mariners, while Jon Parra-Tobey (New London, Conn.) notched a pair of goals, and Ian Falconi (Littleton, Mass.) scored for the second time this season. Falconi also dished out a team-best two assists in the loss, and Keeano Gonzolez (New London, Conn.) was credited with a game-best 15 ground balls.
Jamar Griggs found the back of the net eight times for the visiting squad, who went up early and never trailed despite strong play throughout by Mitchell. Matt Cawthorne and Devano Clarke potted four goals apiece for the Lions, while Clarke handed out seven assists and Clevince Bogle scored twice.
The Lions drew first blood when Cawthorne scored unassisted three and a half minutes into the action. Griggs tallied his first goal 30 seconds later before Parra-Tobey scored off a Kinsella assist to get the Mariners going. Xavier Haney's first goal of the afternoon came with 3:15 remaining in the first quarter, trimming the deficit to one goal as the game moved to the second frame.
After Devano Clarke pushed the ENC lead to 4-2 early in the second quarter, Kinsella scored to make it 4-3. Griggs immedatly answered to put the Lions back ahead by two, before it was Kinsella once again, unassisted, to make it 5-4 with 11 minutes remaining before halftime. That was as close as the Mariners would get however, as they entered the intermission trailing by two, and were unable to close the gap to one goal again.
Despite trailing by just three goals entering the fourth quarter, ENC outscored the Mariners 6-2 across the final stanza, capping the day with a Cawthorne goal at the 50 second mark.
The Mariners finished the day with a season-high 40 shots, 28 of them on goal. Mitchell also won the ground ball battle 44-38, won 20-32 face offs, and converted 14-20 clear attempts. The Lions held the edge in the turnover battle, forcing 33 of Mitchell while committing just 24.
Senior Ethan Wheeler (Annapolis, MD) logged all 60 minutes in the cage and finished with 13 saves for the Mariners. Walter Stockwell also played the entire game in the net for the Lions and recorded 17 saves against 28 shots on goal.
The Mariners (0-11, 0-1 NECC) will return to conference play on Wednesday, April 12, when they travel to New England College.
