GAFFNEY, S.C. – Leading by two goals at the intermission, the nationally eight-ranked Limestone University men's lacrosse team held No. 10 Lindenwood University to three second-half scores while using a 5-0 run to pull away for a 13-8 decision in a national top-10 matchup on Saturday, February 26.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 8 Limestone 13, No. 10 Lindenwood 8
Records: No. 8 Limestone (4-0), No. 10 Lindenwood (1-1)
Location: Saints Field
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Senior Gavin Kesselring (Atlanta, Ga.) supplied six points on four goals and two assists
• Sophomore Chris Erneston IV (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) added three scores and an assist
• Senior Owen Consoletti (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) tallied a goal and dished out two dimes
• Sophomore Grant Rodgers (Columbus, Ga.) added a score and an assist
• Freshman Austin Lamoureux (Ottawa, Ontario) also chipped in two points on a goal and an assist
• Sophomore Carter Brand (Ottawa, Ontario) finished with a pair of assists
• Senior specialist Michael Logan (Los Angeles, Calif.) went 17-of-25 at the center "X"
• Graduate keeper William Baxter (Manchester, England) recorded 18 saves and 15 groundballs
• Freshman Kyle Keesee (Manorville, N.Y) had two caused turnovers and two groundballs
• Limestone went 3-of-8 on extra-man opportunities
• The Saints held a 42-39 edge in shots attempted and a 50-40 margin in groundballs
• The Blue and Gold held Lindenwood to a 14-of-22 clip in clear attempts

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
The Saints capitalized on two early extra-man opportunities, tallying consecutive man-up goals to pull ahead, 2-0, a few moments into the opening period. Erneston scored his first goal of the day off an assist from Rodgers at the 10:05-mark before Kesselring split the cage for his own man-up score to make it 2-0.
 
The Lions answered on the ensuing faceoff, cutting the margin in half just 30 ticks later, but Consoletti would find Kesselring for his second goal of the frame to put Limestone in front, 3-1, at the end of the first.
 
Second Quarter
 
The two top-10 teams would exchange blows in the second quarter as neither squad was able to put together any sort of run. Following a Lindenwood score to open the quarter, Lamoureux beat the keeper, finishing off an assist by Kesselring, as the Saints doubled up the visitors, 4-2, with 12:28 left in the half.
 
The Blue and Gold answered each attempt by the Lions to tie the game as unassisted goals from both Erneston and freshman defender Jack Beachley (Stevensville, Md.) countered a pair of scores by the visitors. Lindenwood again made it a one-goal game in the closing minutes of the half, but senior Pierce Holohan (Ballston Lake, N.Y.) tallied his first score of the year to give the Saints a 7-5 edge at the break.
 
Third Quarter
 
Lindenwood closed the gap to 7-6 midway through the third quarter, but Limestone would finally create some separation with a 5-0 run that would spill over into the fourth. The defense set the tone in the decisive period as the Saints forced the Lions into five turnovers while Baxter added five saves in cage.
 
Rodgers sparked the offense, accepting a pass from Erneston, before Kesselring logged a hat trick off a nice setup by Consoletti to make it 9-6 with 5:41 remaining. Senior Connor Grauer (Riverhead, N.Y.) then kept the surge going before Consoletti registered his only goal of the afternoon off Brand's second assist.   
 
Fourth Quarter
 
With Limestone holding a five-goal cushion to start the final period, Kesselring's fourth tally of the day – this one off an assist by junior Ethan Stannard (Caledon, Ontario) – capped the 5-0 run as the Saints doubled up Lindenwood, 12-6, a few ticks into the fourth. The Lions snapped their 11-minute scoring drought at the 11:16-mark, but Erneston essentially sealed the 13-8 win with his 11^th goal of the season.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Although Limestone led from opening faceoff to final whistle, Lindenwood would keep within striking distance until midway through the third, closing to within a goal six times. The Saints would pull away late in the second half, however, using a 5-0 stretch and a 6-1 overall run to improve to 4-0 on the young year.
 
NOTABLES
 

• Strong starts at the beginning of games and after halftime have been key for the Saints this year
• Limestone has combined to outscore opponents, 18-5, in the first quarter in the first four games
• The Blue and Gold also has a scoring differential of +8 (19-11) in third quarters this season
• The Saints are +6 combined in both the second and fourth quarters over four outings
• Erneston becomes the first Saint to reach 10 goals on the year – he has three hat tricks so far
• Kesselring tallied a career-high with four goals – he had a total of eight scores all of last season
• Logan also posted a career-day with 17 faceoff wins
• Two weeks after posting a then career-high 15 saves, Baxter finished with 18 stops today
• He also bested his previous career high in groundballs with 15 on the afternoon
• Limestone picked up its first win over a top-10 opponent since the 2019 season

 
UP NEXT
 
Midway through a tough four-game gauntlet featuring some of the best teams in the region, the Saints will open South Atlantic Conference play when it faces No. 3 Wingate University at the 2022 Crown Lacrosse Classic on Saturday, March 5, at 6:30 p.m. at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
 
The Saints, who lost twice to the Bulldogs last season, will take on their former Deep South Conference rivals in the final game of the Crown Lacrosse Classic. Limestone and Wingate will be the Division II feature matchup on the men's side and will take the field following the DI Penn State vs. Penn game.