GAFFNEY, S.C. – The nationally 13^th-ranked Limestone University men's lacrosse team got off to a hot start, logging 10 goals over the first 15 minutes of play, and would not look back from there as it rolled past Anderson University, 18-5, in the South Atlantic Conference Quarterfinals on Tuesday, April 20.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 13 Limestone 18, Anderson (S.C.) 5
Records: No. 13 Limestone (10-3), Anderson (S.C.) (4-10)
Location: Saints Field
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Sophomore Ethan Stannard (Caledon, Ontario) posted four goals and two caused turnovers
• Junior attack Owen Consoletti (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) registered a hat trick in the first period
• Freshman attack Frank Smith (Bayville, N.Y.) finished with two goals and an assist
• Senior midfielder Dorian Faster (New Freedom, Pa.) tallied a pair of scores for the Saints
• Freshman Davis Weakley (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) dished out three assists on the afternoon
• Junior Trent Kellner (Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) added a goal and an assist
• Senior attack Gavin Kesselring (Atlanta, Ga.) also collected a goal and an assist
• Sophomore attack Tanner Longo (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) handed out two assists
• Junior midfielder Connor Grauer (Riverhead, N.Y.) also chipped in two dimes
• Senior Dakota Kirsch-Downs (Odenton, Md.) went 10-of-13 at the "X" with seven groundballs
• Senior Christopher Parrott (Havre de Grace, Md.) was 8-of-8 in the faceoff circle
• Graduate keeper William Baxter (Manchester, England) finished with six saves
• Limestone went 23-of-26 in faceoff attempts and won the groundball battle, 49-38

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
The Blue and Gold promptly took control behind a 4-0 surge over the first six minutes of action, logging four scores from four different players. Freshman Chris Erneston IV (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) started the scoring barrage for the Saints before Smith capped the run with an unassisted goal at the 9:18-mark.
 
Stannard and Consoletti each tallied their first goals of the day during that stretch, getting assists from Grauer and Kellner, respectively, before the Trojans got on the board midway through the quarter. The Saints rattled off six straight goals over the last five minutes of the frame, however, to pull ahead, 10-1.
 
Following scores from Stannard and Kellner, Consoletti buried back-to-back goals within a minute of each other to stake Limestone to an 8-1 lead with 1:59 remaining. Faster would then split the cage a few ticks later before Smith closed the opening period by beating the clock with his second score of the afternoon.  
 
Second Quarter
 
Stannard completed his hat trick a few moments into the second quarter, finishing off a feed from Kesselring, before junior long-pole Noah Reed (Edgewood, Ky.) scored his first career goal off the ensuring faceoff, making it a 12-1 game. Anderson answered with two of the next three tallies, but Limestone would move in front, 15-3, at halftime following late scores from both Kesselring and Stannard.
 
The Saints dominated the first half by outshooting the Trojans, 31-11, and scooping up 27 groundballs.
 
Third Quarter
 
Anderson opened the scoring in the second half, but Limestone continued to pad its lead as freshman midfielder Michael Starbuck (Dallas, Pa.) logged his first career goal before freshman attack Jason Thomfohrde (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) gave the home team a comfortable 17-4 edge off an assist by Longo.
 
Freshman Jackson Braswell (Greenville, S.C.) then wrapped up the scoring with a few ticks left in the third, finishing off Weakley's third assist, as the Saints cruised into the SAC semifinals with the 18-5 win.    
 
TURNING POINT
 
Like its first meeting with Anderson, Limestone jumped out to a 4-0 margin in the quarterfinal game, but unlike the regular season matchup, the Blue and Gold never allowed the Trojans back into the contest as it marched out to a commanding 10-1 lead. The Saints never looked back in advancing to the semifinals.
 
NOTABLES
 

• The Saints have won five straight games and eight of its last nine contests
• Limestone improves to 10-0 this season when scoring 10 or more goals
• The Blue and Gold has held its opponents to less than 10 goals in three of the last four games
• Junior defender Steve Werner (Dallastown, Pa.) was named to the USILA/Dynamic Division II Team of the Week shortly before the start of the quarterfinal game
• Limestone held a 43-32 edge in shots attempted – Anderson posted 21 shots in the second half
• Junior keeper Shawn Howell (Mattituck, N.Y.) finished with four saves in relief
• Sophomore keeper Shane O'Leary (Weymouth, Mass.) added a save in the fourth quarter

 
UP NEXT
 
Limestone will face No. 3 Wingate University in the semifinals of the South Atlantic Conference Championship on Friday, April 23 at Moretz Stadium on the campus of Lenoir-Rhyne University. Game time is set for 1:30 p.m.