Fairfield, Conn. – Six Colonials posted a multi-point effort as the Robert Morris University men's lacrosse team opened its Northeast Conference (NEC) slate with a 12-9 victory over Sacred Heart Saturday afternoon on Campus Field in Fairfield, Conn.
 
Nine different Colonials recorded a point in Robert Morris' (5-3, 1-0 NEC) NEC-opening win. Junior midfield Carter Yepsen led the squad with a team-leading, season-best four points on two goals and two assists to match his career high point total. Sophomore midfield Tyson Gibson set two new career marks with three assists and four points. Junior attack Adrian Torok-Orban registered three points on two goals and one assist. Freshman attack Ryan Smith contributed three goals.
 
Junior midfield Conner Yepsen dished two assists and caused two turnovers, and redshirt sophomore attack Jimmy Perkins notched a goal and an assist. Sophomore long stick midfield Jack Toomb picked up five ground balls and caused one turnover. Sophomore goalkeeper Alex Heger made a career-high 17 saves and collected four ground balls.

 
Sacred Heart (4-3, 0-1 NEC) started the final frame with a man-up goal, and outscored Robert Morris through the last 15 minutes, 2-1, but the Colonials had already amassed a four-goal lead heading into the fourth, and held on to the advantage until the final horn.
 
Smith sparked a 3-1 run in the third with his third goal of the game to post his third career hat trick and give the Colonials a four-goal boost, 9-5, their largest lead of the day thus far. Then Gibson widened the gap to five goals at 5:35 in the third. Sacred Heart closed the period with an unassisted tally to trim the Colonials' lead back to four.
 
The Colonials outscored the Pioneers, 5-1, in the second period to take an 8-5 lead at the half. Robert Morris scored four consecutive goals to kick off the second, including two from Smith, and junior long stick midfield Zachary Bryant's first tally of the season.
 
RMU opened the scoring in a back and forth first period, but Sacred Heart closed the frame with a 4-3 advantage.
 
Robert Morris returns to Moon Township, Pa., to host Mount St. Mary's on Saturday, March 25 at 1 p.m. The game is the first of two to be played in Joe Walton Stadium that day, as the RMU women's lacrosse team hosts Duquesne at 4 p.m.
 
 
Hitting the Books
Sophomore goalkeeper Alex Heger's career-high 17 saves rank tied for eighth all time in individual game records at Robert Morris.
 
Mr. Reliable
Junior attack Adrian Torok-Orban is one of 25 players nationally who are currently riding a 20-plus game point streak (23 games: 47G, 15A, 62P) dating back to April 25, 2015.
 
Schedule Notes
For the first time since 2012, the Colonials will play a game under the lights of Joe Walton Stadium, when they host Canisius on Tues., April 18 at 7 p.m. in a non-conference, evening clash. Men's and women's lacrosse will also compete in a doubleheader on Sat., March 25. The men's team will open the day with a 1 p.m. faceoff with Mount St. Mary's, and the women's squad will host crosstown rival Duquesne at 4 p.m.
 
Colonials in the Pros
There are currently eleven former Colonials from the Robert Morris men's lacrosse program competing in the National Lacrosse League (NLL).
 
 
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