Moon Township, Pa. – The Robert Morris University men's lacrosse team utilized an 8-0 run through the second and third quarters to defeat the Wagner Seahawks, 17-6,  Saturday afternoon on Youth Day in Joe Walton Stadium.
 
The Colonials (8-3, 4-0 NEC) are riding a season-high four-game winning streak, and are 4-0 to open a conference slate for the first time since 2012, when Robert Morris posted a 5-0 undefeated record in Northeast Conference (NEC) action.
 
A season-best fourteen different Colonials posted points in the win. Redshirt sophomore attack Matt Schmidt led the way with a career-high six goals and two assists to amass a career-high eight points. Freshman attack Ryan Smith notched a career-best six points on one goal and five helpers. Sophomore long stick midfield Jack Toomb anchored the defense with five ground balls and three caused turnovers. Freshman attack Zach Lynch notched his first point in a Colonials uniform.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Alex Heger made three saves, while freshman goalie Brenden Whalen stopped two shots.

 
Lynch opened the final frame with his first career goal to put the Colonials up by 14. The Seahawks managed to break a 37-minute and six-second scoring drought with a goal in the fourth. Wagner followed up with another goal and reduced the RMU advantage to 12. Robert Morris managed to survive a shorthanded situation, down two men, midway through the fourth, but the Seahawks earned another man-up opportunity and converted on the second try to extend their scoring streak to three goals. Wagner started to swing the momentum late in the fourth, but could not overcome the sizeable Robert Morris lead the Colonials amassed early in the game.
 
Robert Morris entered the third with a ten-goal edge, and kept the pressure on through all 15 minutes of the third. The Colonials shut out the Seahawks through the frame, 3-0. The second quarter was all Colonials as well. Robert Morris outscored Wagner, 5-0, and continued to frustrate the Seahawks with their impressive transition game.
 
The Colonials opened the game with a fast start on three transition tallies, and stretched their scoring streak to five goals early in the frame. Schmidt completed his first-quarter hat trick at 5:24 to increase the RMU advantage to six goals, and redshirt junior Marshall Gibson padded the lead with another goal in transition to put the Colonials up, 8-1. Wagner closed the frame with back-to-back tallies, but would not score again until the fourth.
 
Robert Morris registered season-high numbers in points (32), assists (15), shots (52), shots on goal (36) and ground balls (40).
 
RMU takes a break from conference play to travel to No. 14/12 University of Virginia for a Tuesday night tilt on April 11 at 7 p.m. in Charlottesville, Va., at Klockner Stadium.
 
 
Hitting the Books
Redshirt sophomore attack Matt Schmidt's eight points tie for second in the all-time RMU single-game record books. His six goals rank third all time at Robert Morris. Freshman attack Ryan Smith's five assists tie for first all-time in a single game for the Colonials. RMU's 15 total assists on the day rank tied for second in RMU single-game history.
 
The Numbers Game
During Robert Morris' current four-game winning streak, the Colonials boasted double-digit goal-scoring in all four outings, and limited their opponent to single-digit scoring in three out of the four wins.
 
Mr. Reliable
Junior attack Adrian Torok-Orban is one of 27 players nationally who are currently riding a 20-plus game point streak (26 games: 52G, 15A, 67P) dating back to April 25, 2015.
 
National Radar
Four weeks ago, Robert Morris was receiving votes in the USILA/Nike Division I Coaches Poll for the first time since 2012.
 
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.
 
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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