GAFFNEY, S.C. – Leading by five entering the final period, the nationally top-ranked Limestone College men's lacrosse team pulled away in the late going behind a commanding 6-0 fourth-quarter run to collect an 18-7 decision over future conference foe Tusculum University on Friday, February 14 at Saints Field.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 1 Limestone 18, Tusculum 7
Records: No. 1 Limestone (2-0), Tusculum (1-1)
Location: Saints Field
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Senior Tyler Papa (Manlius, N.Y.) poured a career high with seven points and five goals
• Senior Clark Walter (Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) added two goals and three assists
• Senior Larson Sundown (Basom, N.Y.) finished with two goals, two assists and five groundballs
• Junior Dorian Faster (New Freedom, Pa.) chipped in a pair of goals and a pair of assists
• Junior Gavin Kesselring (Atlanta, Ga.) tallied two goals on four shot attempts
• Freshman Ethan Stannard (Caledon, Ontario) also posted two scores
• Senior Dakota Kirsch-Downs (Odenton, Md.) went 11-of-14 at the center "X" with 11 groundballs
• Senior Christopher Parrott (Havre de Grace, Md.) added nine faceoff wins and six groundballs
• Sophomore keeper Gary Cutler (Southfield, Mich.) finished with 13 saves to get the win
• The Saints edged the Pioneers 37-34 in shots, but outpaced Tusculum 43-30 in groundballs

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
The Saints jumped out to an early lead as graduate Jake Croster (Oneonta, N.Y.) finished in transition a few moments into the contest before Sundown found the perfect angle from the right side of the cage to quickly make it 2-0. Limestone would add to its advantage late in the period, pushing the margin to 4-0.
 
Papa scored after picking up a groundball before Kirsch-Downs took the ensuing faceoff and worked his way through the Pioneer defense for his first goal of the season. Kesselring then staked the Saints to a five-goal cushion, but Tusculum scored back-to-back goals to close the gap to 5-2 at the end of the first.
 
Second Quarter
 
The Blue and Gold surged out of the gates to start the second as a goal by Kesselring started a 4-0 spurt over the first five and a half minutes. Papa scored twice and assisted on another goal during that run before Walter tallied his first goal of the year off a dime from Sundown to make it 9-2 with 9:31 remaining.  
 
However, the Pioneers would respond with a 3-1 counterattack over the final eight minutes of the frame, scoring consecutive goals to close the lead to 9-4 with 4:41 left on the clock. Sundown briefly halted the momentum, but Tusculum registered the final goal of the period to cut the lead in half, 10-5, at the break.
 
Third Quarter
 
The Pioneers pulled even closer, 10-6, with a goal at the 9:45-mark of the third, but the Saints ran off two straight scores by Walter and Papa a few ticks later. Tusculum continued to hang around through, finding the back of the net with 2:46 remaining in the quarter to close the margin to 12-7 with three in the books.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
That would be the closest things would get, however, as the Saints took control of the contest with a dominating performance on both sides of the field in the final period. Faster scored twice in less than two minutes, doubling up Tusculum, 14-7, before assisting on a goal by Stannard with 10:46 left in regulation.
 
As the defense continued to pitch a shutout over the final 15 minutes, the offense put the game out of reach as freshman Sammy Thomolaris (Pittsford, N.Y.) scored his third goal of his rookie year. Papa then planted his fifth goal of the game before Stannard applied the finishing touches on the 18-7 decision.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Although Limestone never trailed in the matchup of future conference foes, marching out to a quick 5-0 lead in the first quarter, Tusculum stayed within striking distance entering the final period. However, the Saints outscored the Pioneers 6-0 over the last 15 minutes of play to pull away for the 11-goal win.
 
NOTABLES
 

• Papa established new career highs with seven points and five goals
• He had four goals in a game on four different occasions last year and two six-point games
• Papa tied Colton Watkinson for 13^th on the program's all-time career scoring list with 112 goals
• Kirsch-Downs in 22-of-26 in faceoff attempts this season with 21 groundballs
• The Saints improve to 5-0 all-time against Tusculum

 
UP NEXT
 
After opening the 2020 season with back-to-back home games, Limestone will play its next three games at neutral sites starting next weekend. The Saints will play Florida Tech at Bishop England High School in Charleston, S.C. on Saturday, February 22 at 1 p.m.