Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Contact: Chris Kilcoyne

Randolph-Macon Lacrosse Opens Season with 11-6 Victory over Eastern University

ASHLAND, VA - The Randolph-Macon College men's lacrosse team jumped out to an early lead and withstood a late rally as it topped visiting Eastern University 11-6 Wednesday afternoon in Ashland.

R-MC (1-0) scored three times in the first 11:40 of play to take the early lead, getting goals from Peter LaPaglia, Paul Johnson and Tyler Watkins.

After a goal by EU's (0-2) Nick Mandia cut the lead to 3-1 after one quarter, the Jackets got a pair of goals from LaPaglia and a strike from Watkins in a 4:45 span early in the second quarter to take a commanding 6-1 lead.

Ben O'Donnell pulled the Eagles closer at 6-2 with a goal at the 6:52 mark of the second quarter and that would be the score at intermission.

After Keith Baker opened up the second half scoring with a goal at the 13:13 mark of the third quarter, Eastern reeled off thee straight goals to pull within 7-5.

R-MC's Paul Johnson pushed the Jackets advantage to 8-5 with 14:11 to go in the game before EU struck again to pull within two goals at 8-6 with 14:04 to play.

That would be as close as the Eagles would get as R-MC got three unanswered goals from Watkins, Billy Rowe and Chris Lamb to end the game and give the Yellow Jackets the win.

Patrick Nugent started in net for R-MC and played the first half, making three saves, while Adam Liberto played the final 30 minutes and made eight stops.

Randolph-Macon College returns to action on Saturday when it will take on Swarthmore College at Baltimore Lutheran School at 1:00 p.m.

-Yellow Jackets-