Moon Township, Pa. – RMU wins their third game in a row, 18-12, over Lindenwood University on Senior Day. The Colonials are now 4-4 in the ASUN and 7-6 overall. The Lions move to 2-9 this season, and 1-7 in conference play.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
It took the Colonials only about a minute to get on the board at the Joe Walton Stadium, Saturday afternoon.
Eric Swagerty scored the opening goal of the game, followed by
David Burr darting in his 23
rd of the season, to take an early 2-0 lead. The Lions did begin to gain some momentum back as they scored the next three. But, with three minutes remaining in the opening quarter,
Liam Keane tallied in two more goals and fifth-year attacker
Taggart Clark spotted in his 25
th of the season. RMU went up 5-4 after 15 minutes of play.
In the second quarter, Lindenwood scored in the opening minute. After that, it was all offense for the Colonials the rest of the half, as RMU scored eight unanswered goals. Six different players scored as
David Burr,
Will MacLeod,
Will Johansen,
Liam Keane,
Colton Lidstone and
Eric Swagerty all produced goals. Johansen and Keane both sniped in a brace during the second period. This eight-goal stretch of goals in a row is the longest the Colonials have put together this season.
Entering the second half, the Lions got back on track. During the third quarter, they outscored the Colonials 6-3.
David Burr started the half with an unassisted effort, and then
Taggart Clark scored back-to-back goals, including the teams first man-down goal of the year. With 15 minutes left in play, RMU remained ahead 16-10.
For the final quarter, the offense was quieter as the Colonials played safe defense to secure their third ASUN conference win in a row. Clark continued his dominance late in the game, as he assisted Swagerty for the teams first goal of the period. He followed that with a man-up goal this time to extend their lead once again. In the end, RMU won the match, 18-12.
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
Before today's game, RMU Athletics honored the 10 graduating seniors on the men's lacrosse team. After leading the team to an ASUN Championship last season, many of the seniors were crucial in today's victory.
Coming up big for the Colonials as he's done time after time, was Ontario native,
Taggart Clark. Against the Lions, Clark posted four goals and three assists, tying the second-most points he's scored in a game. Last year Clark scored a double hat trick and two assists at Cleveland State (4/30/22). Earlier this season, Clark scored seven points as well at Canisius. The team captain is now on a 29-game point streak and 15-game goal streak.
Fifth-year midfielders
Colton Lidstone and
Will Johansen also posted big days, as both players produced a three-point game. Johansen now has 24 points on the year and Lidstone owns 14. Johansen also caused a team-high three turnovers against the Lions. Leading the team in ground balls outside of face-off specialist
Steven DelleMonache, was fifth-year defenseman
Owen Down. He scooped up six ground balls, blocked two shots and caused two turnovers. Fifth-year
James Christoforatos picked up four ground balls and dished out an assist on the offense.
MORE HATS THROWN
Against Lindenwood, four players scored hat tricks. On the day,
Liam Keane and
Taggart Clark both scored four.
Eric Swagerty knotted his second hat trick of the year and second in the past three games. A regular to scoring hat tricks,
David Burr produced his seventh three-goal game of the 2023 campaign. A big part of the three-game win streak has been from these four players consistently producing. In the past three games, they've combined for 34 goals and 15 assists, totaling 49 points for the offense.
DELLEMONACHE DOMINATION
After reaching career-high's in ground balls and face-off wins the past two games against Bellarmine and Queens, junior face-off specialist
Steven DelleMonache crushed his records again today vs. the Lions. On the day, DelleMonache scooped up 17 ground balls and won 28 face-offs, both career-highs. His 28 wins on 34 face-offs was good for a .824-win percentage, also being a career-high. During this three-game win streak, the New Jersey native has won 66 face-offs and picked up 44 ground balls in the process. On the year, he's won 160 draws and 83 ground balls after the draw.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
As a team, the Colonials dominated in all facets of the game. They outshot the Lions, 56-29. RMU earned more ground balls with 56, compared to Lindenwood, 26. The home side caused a total of 11 turnovers, especially on the Lions clear attempts, as they failed to clear a third of the time (18-27 on clears). With two man-up opportunities, the Colonials took advantage and scored on one of their power play chances.
UP NEXT
The Colonials will finish up their regular season on the road next Saturday, April 29
th at 1:00 p.m. They'll be headed out to Colorado Springs, Colo., to take on Air Force.
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