SALEM, Mass. – Junior
Brady Hunt (Billerica, Mass.) scored a game-high four goals and collected a program-record 17 ground balls to power Plymouth State University to a 15-9 win over Salem State University in Little East Conference (LEC) men's lacrosse action Alumni Field on Wednesday evening.
The Vikings struck first, but senior
Crosby Fay (Thornton, N.H.) responded with his first of three goals to spark a 5-0 run that extended into the second quarter. Fay added a man-up goal during the surge. Salem State scored twice around Hunt's first goal, but Hunt struck again in the final seconds of the half, sending the Panthers into the break with an 8-3 advantage.
The teams traded goals throughout the third quarter. Senior
Aiden O'Loughlin (Londonderry, N.H.) scored twice in the frame, and Fay's third goal made it 11-6 heading to the fourth. Plymouth State continued to build on its lead in the final quarter, with Hunt scoring two more times to cap his four-goal night.
With the win, Plymouth State improves to 7-4 (3-2 LEC), its third straight conference victory. Salem State drops to 7-6 (1-5 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 15, Salem State 9
- Plymouth State (7-4, 3-2 LEC)
- Salem State (7-6, 1-5 LEC)
How it Happened:
- The Vikings opened the scoring four minutes into the game, but Fay answered just over a minute later. Senior Ryan Collins (Attleboro, Mass.) and sophomore Aiden Renner (Phillipsburg, N.J.) followed with goals to give PSU the lead for good, and Fay's man-up strike made it 4-1 after the first quarter.
- Senior Ryan Jones (Tolland, Conn.) added another man-up goal early in the second before Salem State trimmed the deficit to 5-2.
- After trading goals – with Hunt recording his first – senior Shea Clark (North Woburn, Mass.) and Hunt closed the half with goals to make it 8-3 at the break.
- O'Loughlin scored twice around a Salem State tally to open the third, stretching the lead to 10-4.
- The Vikings cut it to 10-6 with back-to-back goals, but Fay and Hunt answered to rebuild the cushion.
- Salem State again pulled within four, 12-8, before Jones and senior Matt Miner (Chelmsford, Mass.) sealed the win with roughly four minutes remaining.
- After one final goal by the Vikings, Hunt capped his record-setting night with his fourth goal.
By the Numbers:
- Hunt led all players with four goals and five points while grabbing a program-record 17 ground balls and adding one caused turnover.
- Collins also tallied five points, scoring once and dishing out four assists.
- O'Loughlin had two goals and two assists, while Jones finished with two goals and one helper.
- Fay recorded his fifth hat trick of the season. He is now just 10 goals away from becoming the second player in program history to reach 200 career goals.
- Renner won 11-of-15 faceoffs, scooped eight ground balls, and chipped in a goal and an assist.
- Senior Joey Loeber (Chelmsford, Mass.) registered a game-high six caused turnovers – just one shy of the school record – and added five ground balls.
- Plymouth State outshot the Vikings 29-20 on goal and went a perfect 5-for-5 on clears.
- The Panthers owned a 48-37 advantage in ground balls.
- Plymouth State has won all 24 matchups between the programs, a streak dating back to 1997.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State returns home to face Keene State in LEC action on Friday (Apr. 18) at 6:30 p.m.
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