CASTLETON, Vt. – Playing for the first time in a year and three days, junior Riley Roy (Laconia, N.H.) and sophomore Mike Fleury (Lebanon, N.H.) tallied five points apiece to lift Plymouth State University to an 8-5 win over Castleton University in a non-conference men's lacrosse game at Dave Wolk Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
 
After falling behind 1-0, the Panthers scored six straight goals to take control. Castleton scored twice late in the third quarter to pull to within three, 6-3, but PSU notched a pair of goals in the fourth quarter and held on for the win.
 
Roy led the way with four goals and an assist, while Fleury tallied a pair of goals to go with three helpers.
 
Plymouth State opens the season with a win (1-0), while the Spartans (0-1) drop their home opener.
 
The Basics:

• Plymouth State 8, Castleton 5
  • Plymouth State (1-0)
  • Castleton (0-1)

Top Performers:

• Plymouth State
  • Riley Roy (4 goals, 1 ast)
  • Mike Fleury (2 goals, 3 asts)
  • Robert Porter (15 saves)

How it Happened:

• The hosts kicked off the scoring 5:43 into the game and the lone goal stood for most of the frame until Fleury's tally with 33 seconds remaining in the quarter evened the game at 1-1.
• PSU tallied the only two scores of the second period as freshman Miles Franey (Amesbury, Mass.) picked up his first career score and Fleury struck again.
• Plymouth State extended the lead over the first five minutes of the third quarter behind three straight goals from Roy, including one on a man-up situation, as the Panthers pulled ahead 6-1.
• Castleton added back-to-back goals just 33 seconds apart to cut the margin to 6-3 after three.
• Roy notched his fourth of the game 5:15 into the final stanza, and freshman Ryan Hanlon (Hull, Mass.) added his first collegiate goal to restore the five-goal lead, 8-3.
• The Spartans were able to add a pair of scores, but were unable to make up the margin over the final nine minutes.

By the Numbers:

• Freshman Jack Bonazzoli (Clinton, Mass.) led the Panthers with seven ground balls, while classmate Marc Hirshom (East Walpole, Mass.) scooped up six.
• Senior Blake Barbin (Rochester, N.H.) paced the team with five caused turnovers, as classmate Robert Porter (Groveland, Mass.) made 15 saves to earn the win.
• Castleton held a 37-30 lead in shots, while PSU won the ground ball battle 32-26.
• PSU improves to 11-3 all-time against the Spartans.

Up Next:

• Plymouth State is off for more than three weeks before opening Little East Conference play at Eastern Connecticut State on Apr. 3.