PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Led by a career-high-tying seven-point performance from senior
Ryan Jones (Tolland, Conn.), Plymouth State University used an overpowering 9-0 first-half run to cruise past Eastern Connecticut State University, 18-9, in a Little East Conference (LEC) men's lacrosse game at Panther Field on Saturday afternoon.
Jones and senior
Shea Clark (North Woburn, Mass.) staked PSU to an early 2-0 lead, but the Warriors responded to cut the deficit in half just 3:24 into the game. From there, it was all Plymouth State. The Panthers closed the first quarter with seven unanswered goals, taking a commanding 9-1 lead. PSU added the first two tallies of the second quarter and carried a double-digit lead into halftime, up 14-3.
Plymouth State coasted in the second half, with Jones adding a goal and an assist to match his career high in points. Senior
Crosby Fay (Thornton, N.H.) matched a season-high with five goals.
The game marked the team's annual
Morgan's Message game, supporting the initiative to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health, promote open dialogue, and advocate for mental health to be treated equally to physical health for all student-athletes.
Plymouth State improves to 5-4 (1-2 LEC), while the Warriors move to 4-4 (1-2 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 18, Eastern Connecticut 9
- Plymouth State (5-4, 1-2 LEC)
- Eastern Connecticut (4-4, 1-2 LEC)
How it Happened:
- Jones opened the scoring in the first minute, and Clark quickly followed to give PSU a 2-0 lead.
- Eastern Connecticut got on the board at the 3:24 mark, but Plymouth State seized control.
- Fay buried his first of the game to ignite a decisive 9-0 run that extended into the second quarter. Fay scored three goals during the stretch, while senior Ryan Collins (Attleboro, Mass.) added three of his own, and Jones tacked on two more to make it 11-1 with eight minutes left in the half.
- ECSU momentarily stopped the surge, but junior Brady Hunt (Billerica, Mass.) converted a slick feed from sophomore Aiden Renner (Phillipsburg, N.J.) with 3:31 left in the quarter. Freshman Blake McPherson (Windham, Maine) followed with his first collegiate goal, and Fay's fourth of the game made it 14-2.
- The Warriors added a goal in the final seconds of the half as PSU took a 14-3 lead into the break.
- The teams traded goals in the third quarter, with Jones, senior Aiden O'Loughlin (Londonderry, N.H.) and Fay each adding to their totals for a 17-6 lead heading into the fourth.
- Collins scored early in the final quarter before the Warriors closed with three straight goals to cap the scoring.
By the Numbers:
- Jones totaled four goals and three assists for a career-high-tying seven points.
- Fay tallied five goals, matching a season high.
- Collins contributed four times.
- Renner went 5-of-6 on faceoffs, collected four ground balls, and dished out three assists.
- Senior Leif Charbonneau (North Grafton, Mass.) dominated the faceoff circle, winning 17-of-23 and scooping up a game-high 11 ground balls.
- Senior Joey Loeber (Chelmsford, Mass.) tied for the game lead with three caused turnovers and added four ground balls.
- PSU held a 24-14 edge in shots on goal and doubled up the Warriors in ground balls, 32-16.
- Plymouth State has now won five of the last six meetings, though Eastern Connecticut leads the all-time series, 32-10.
Up Next:
- PSU celebrates its Senior Night on Tuesday (Apr. 8) when VTSU Castleton comes to Panther Field for a 7:00 p.m. contest.
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