HICKORY, N.C. – Looking to avenge an opening-day loss from 2018, the nationally 14^th-ranked Limestone College men's lacrosse team surged in the second half, tallying 11 goals over the final 30 minutes, to run past No. 4 Lenoir-Rhyne University, 19-9, on Saturday, February 9 at Moretz Stadium.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 14 Limestone 19, No. 4 Lenoir-Rhyne 9
Records: No. 14 Limestone (2-0), No. 4 Lenoir-Rhyne (0-1)
Location: Moretz Stadium
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Junior Tyler Papa (Manlius, N.Y.) finished with four goals and an assist
• Junior Clark Walter (Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) also registered four goals and an assist
• Senior Matt Bennett (Nedrow, N.Y.) posted four points on two goals and two assists
• Senior Jeremy Burns (Fort Mitchell, Ky.) chipped in a pair of scores
• Junior Larson Sundown (Basom, N.Y.) tallied two goals and two groundballs
• Junior Christopher Parrott (Rising Sun, Md.) went 11-of-15 at the "X" with a goal and six groundballs while junior Dakota Kirsch-Downs (Odenton, Md.) went 8-of-15 with an assist
• Senior keeper Danny Forren (Trumbull, Conn.) recorded 11 saves and four groundballs
• Limestone edged the Bears 47-43 in shots attempted and 31-25 in groundballs

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
Following a tremendous save in goal by Forren, senior Tyler Ponzio (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) finished off a fast break with his first score of the year to stake Limestone to an early 1-0 lead. A few ticks later, a caused turnover by senior Andrew Martin (Olney, Md.) was converted into a goal on the other end.
 
Burns planted the breakaway, making it 2-0, before Papa and Walter both split the frame to give the Saints a four-goal cushion with 8:57 left in the opening period. The Bears got on the board late in the frame, but Forren would post four saves over the first 15 minutes as Limestone led 4-1 at the end of one.
 
Second Quarter
 
Lenoir-Rhyne capitalized on an extra-man opportunity early in the second, cutting the deficit in half, 4-2, but the Saints scored off the ensuing faceoff win as Papa pushed the margin back to three with 10:05 remaining. Less than a minute later, Papa complete his first-half hat trick to put Limestone on top 6-2.
 
The Bears rattled off three straight goals to make it a one-possession game, but Walter would snap the run off a nice feed from Papa for his second score of the day. Sundown then got in on the action, giving the Saints an 8-5 lead with 27 ticks left, but L-R would beat the buzzer to draw to within 8-6 at the break.
 
Third Quarter
 
Papa tallied his fourth goal of the afternoon to start the second half, but Lenoir-Rhyne answered with a score of its own to stay close, 9-7, with 10:43 remaining in the period. However, the Saints countered with a 5-0 spurt over the next five minutes to double up the Bears, 14-7, midway through the third quarter.
 
Bennet scored twice for the Blue and Gold during that stretch, including a man-up goal, while Burns, Walter and Sundown each found the back of the net to help power the surge. The Bears broke the scoring binge with a late goal, but the Saints would enter the final frame with a 14-8 advantage.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
Following an L-R score a few moments into the fourth, Limestone put the game well out of reach with five unanswered goals. Graduate Brian Huyghue (Halifax, Nova Scotia) sparked the run with his first goal of the season before senior Matt Hommel (Ballston Spa, N.Y.) scored just 40 ticks later to make it 16-9.
 
Parrott then registered his first career score, taking the ensuing faceoff down the field before beating the keeper with a laser. Freshman Garret Winter (Mission, British Columbia) scored off an assist from Martin, and then Walter applied the finishing touches with his fourth goal as Limestone closed out the 19-9 win.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Although Limestone never trailed in the matchup of regional heavy weights, Lenoir-Rhyne kept things close over the first 30 minutes of play. However, a 5-0 spurt in the third quarter gave the Saints some breathing room before another 5-0 run in the fourth put the game well out of reach.
 
NOTABLES
 

• The Saints improve to 7-1 all-time against Lenoir-Rhyne, including a 4-0 mark in Hickory, N.C.
• Limestone knocked off a top-5 opponent for the first time since the 2017 national title game
• Junior Jordan Stouros (Ottawa, Ontario) scooped up six groundballs
• Freshman defender Steve Werner (Dallastown, Pa.) finished with two caused turnovers
• The Blue and Gold went 19-of-30 in the faceoff circle

 
UP NEXT
 
The Saints have another tough test as they close out a three-game road trip to start the season. Limestone will face defending South Region Champion and nationally ninth-ranked Saint Leo University on Sunday, February 17 at 1 p.m. on a neutral field in Savannah, Ga.