OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. – The Saint Anselm College men's lacrosse team opened its 2020 season with a convincing 16-7 victory over the Bears from New York Tech on Saturday.
Box Score
Saint Anselm, receiving votes in the USILA Division II National Coaches' Poll, moves to 1-0 while the Bears, ranked No. 18 in the same poll, falls to 2-1 on the year. The Hawks earn their first win over a nationally-ranked opponent since May 4, 2018 when Saint Anselm downed top-ranked Le Moyne in the NE10 playoffs.
The Hawks were led by junior attackman Ryan Richards (Mendon, Mass.) and his two goals and three assists for five points. Junior Matt Ward (Shrewsbury, Mass.) led the Hawks with three goals as Richards, junior Griffin Shoemaker (Shirley, Mass.) and classmate Thomas Mapstone (Andover, Mass.) each logged two goals as starters for Saint Anselm.
Senior Curtiss Vachon (Westminster, Mass.) and freshman Jack Andrews (Cumberland, R.I.), making his collegiate debut, each potted two goals as well. In total, Saint Anselm had 12 student-athletes record at least one point in the victory. The Hawks finished the day with a decisive advantage in shots taken (51-to-34), ground balls (28-to-24) and caused turnovers (nine-to-eight).
Saint Anselm backstop CJ Hart (Reading, Mass.) made 16 saves on 23 shots, setting a career-high mark in saves and ground balls (three). Freshman Jack Robinson (Wilbraham, Mass.) also found the score sheet in his first collegiate game, potting two assists.
Saint Anselm opened up a 7-1 lead on the Bears and never looked back, capped by a Matt Cullinan man-up goal with 9:09 to go in the opening half. Despite a brief scare where New York Tech potted the game's next four goals, Saint Anselm put the game out of reach by scoring nine of the game's final 11 goals to secure the season-opening victory.
Freshman Craig Yannone (Lynnfield, Mass.) won nine face-offs for Saint Anselm in his debut, tying for the team lead in ground balls with Shoemaker and Mapstone.
New York Tech, who had only lost to Saint Anselm once in eight previous contests, was led by three goals from Lenny Innamorato. Brendan Watt made 17 saves for the Bears, conceding all 16 goals against.
Saint Anselm heads to Florida on Monday, Mar. 2 for a 4 p.m. contest against Florida Tech.
