Box Score Moon Township, Pa. - Junior Jake Hayes (Calgary, Alberta / Central Memorial) led a prolific offensive attack by breaking the single-game school record for points as the Robert Morris University men's lacrosse team blasted visiting Quinnipiac, 25-9, in a Northeast Conference (NEC) affair Saturday afternoon at a chilly and rainy Joe Walton Stadium.
With the victory, its first over the Bobcats, RMU tied its program record for wins (10) that it set during the 2010 season.
Hayes ventured into uncharted waters as he became the first Colonial in program history to supply nine points in a single contest. Hayes, who had tied the school record earlier this season with eight points against Air Force, achieved the feat on the strength of five goals and a career-high four assists. He moved into third place in single-season goals at RMU (37) and into sixth in single-season points (52) as he posted at least five goals for the second time this season. Hayes' 11th career hat trick was also his fifth straight multi-goal game and his 10th such effort in 13 games this season.
Hayes' performance helped the Colonials post their second-highest goal total in program history as they tallied at least 25 goals in a game for the second-consecutive year. Entering the week, no Division I team had notched 25 goals in a game in 2012. Robert Morris also broke its single-game record for points as a team (44), topping a mark it set three weeks ago, and tied its best single-game assist total in school history as its 19 helpers also matched the effort it put forth March 31, 2012.
While Hayes broke the record, he was far from the only Colonial to tally gaudy offensive statistics. Both senior Kiel Matisz (Stoney Creek, Ontario / Saltfleet) and redshirt junior Dave Morton (Orangeville, Ontario / Hill School) tied the former single-game points record.
Matisz tallied a career-best eight points and tied RMU's single-game assist record by posting five helpers. He became the sixth distinct Colonial to hit eight points in a contest and just the third RMU student-athlete to register a quintet of assists in a single game. Matisz moved into third place in single-season points (56), and is now just five away from matching the top mark, rose into a tie for sixth in single-season goals (34) and slid into second in single-season assists (22). His 13th career hat trick gave him his 11th straight multi-point game and extended his overall point streak to 19. Matisz tallied at least three points for the 16th time in the past 18 games while notching his 39th career multi-point game and 24th career multi-goal outing.
Morton, the reigning NEC Offensive Player of the Week, tied his career high of eight points that he set three weeks ago as he tallied a career-best six goals and two assists. He became the sixth distinct Colonial to score a half-dozen goals in a game, and his effort made him the third different Colonial this season to pull that trick, a new school record. Morton's day moved him into the top 10 in career points (63) and also into a tie for seventh in single-season assists with 18. He now has 26 points in RMU's four league games and has six straight multi-goal games overall. Morton's sixth career hat trick also helped him extend his career-long point streak to 12 games.
Entering the 2012 season, Robert Morris had only had three eight-point efforts in its history, but the Colonials matched that feat in just 60 minutes Saturday.
Senior Mike Grosz (St. Louis, Mo. / Parkway West) broke his own single-season school record for ground balls, finishing the day with 95, as he went 15-of-25 on faceoffs for the day and collected 14 GB. Grosz's 14 ground balls were the second-highest single-game total in school history, behind only a mark he set earlier this season.
Senior Casey Abbott (San Jose, Calif. / Bellarmine Prep.) had a fine offensive day himself as he tallied four points on two goals and two assists to notch his sixth straight multi-point game. Abbott's second career four-point game also provided him with his fifth multi-goal output in the team's past six games.
The game was high-scoring and relatively close early on as RMU led 6-4 after one quarter of action. After Quinnipiac netted the first goal of the second quarter to pull within one, it was all Robert Morris.
The Colonials would go on an 18-3 run over a 34:13 stretch, spanning the second through the fourth quarters, to leave little drama left regarding the outcome in the game's final minutes. With an 11-7 lead late in the first half, RMU would go on to score 10 consecutive goals, including the first nine in the second half, to blow the game wide open, allowing the hosts to cruise to victory.
With the victory, Robert Morris clinched one of the top two seeds for the upcoming NEC Tournament. The winner of RMU's regular-season finale against Bryant will be guaranteed the right to host the conference's postseason tournament.
Senior Kyle Buchanan (Nepean, Ontario / John McCrae) put home two goals and added an assist to surpass 50 career goals and move into ninth place in single-season assists at RMU (17). Buchanan collected his 33rd career multi-point game and his 13th career multi-goal effort as he extended his point streak to 17 games.
Junior Tyler Digby (Westminster, British Columbia / New Westminster) scored twice to notch his first multi-goal game of 2012 while collecting his fourth straight multi-point effort. His 11th career multi-point outing helped him reset his high for goals in a season.
RMU had advantages in shots (48-26), shots on goal (31-16), ground balls (45-30), faceoffs (21-17) and clear percentage. It is the fifth straight game in which RMU has had advantages in shots, shots on goal and ground balls.
It is the third time in its past five games in which RMU has notched at least 45 ground balls as the Colonials have had at least 12 more GB than their opponent in each of the past five contests. Robert Morris also won at least 20 faceoffs for the fifth time this season.
With his five assists, Matisz swapped places with Buchanan and became RMU's current leader in career assists with 70.
Redshirt senior Kevin Brownell (Burlington, Ontario / Central) had a goal and an assist to move into the top 10 in career goals (40) while claiming his 22nd career multi-point effort.
Senior Teddy Finnegan (West Islip, N.Y. / West Islip) and redshirt sophomore Taylor Graves (Carlsbad, Calif. / Carlsbad) both had a pair of points for the Colonials.
RMU will now have a week off before it wraps up NEC play as the Colonials will take on Bryant next Saturday, April 28. The opening faceoff is set for 1:00 p.m.
