(ASHLAND, Va.) – Randolph-Macon gave No. 4 Christopher Newport all it could handle in men's lacrosse, but came up just short in a thriller Saturday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets were up two on the Captains midway through the third quarter, but the visitors were able to overcome the deficit with a 5-0 run and hold off R-MC's comeback attempt.

The Basics

Score: Randolph-Macon 12, No. 4 Christopher Newport

Venue: Nunnally Field

Records: Randolph-Macon 1-1, No. 4 Christopher Newport 2-0

How It Happened

• Randolph-Macon got out of the gates fast thanks to a couple of early goals by Jack Averna (Sr., Warrenton, Va. / Fauquier) and Andrew Tiffey (Sr., Columbia, Md. / Wilde Lake). Tiffey assisted on the first while getting an assist from Ryan Pritchard (So., Crofton, Md. / DeMatha) on the second for the 2-0 lead just over five minutes into the game.
• After the Captains got on the board midway through the first, Pritchard answered with a helper from Jamie Smith (Jr., Roanoke, Va. / Patrick Henry Roanoke) as the Lemon and Black closed the frame up 3-1.
• Both teams went goal-for-goal in the second quarter. Tiffey got his second of the game to answer a quick Captains goal before Averna got his to close the half with R-MC up 5-3.
• The offenses of both squads had their best quarter in the third as they combined for 11 goals. They came in runs as CNU scored the first three before R-MC answered with a 4-1 run on scores from Pritchard, Tiffey, Averna, and Avery Tankersley (Fr., Baltimore, Md. / Boys Latin) to make the score 9-7 with 4:22 to go in the third.
• The Captains' attack picked up from there as they went on a 7-1 run that stretched well into the fourth quarter to take a 14-10 lead. Tiffey and Pritchard were both able to add another goal each for the Jackets, but the comeback attempt came up short as time ran out.

Inside The Numbers

• Tiffey finished the game with four goals and an assist for five points. He added three ground balls to his line.
• Averna joined him with five points on three goals and two helpers. Pritchard also found the back of the net three times. Tankersley rounded out the multiple point scorers with a pair of goals.
• Xan Johnston (Jr., Berlin, Md. / Stephen Decatur) led the defense with four ground balls. Cooper Hauser (Fr., Charlottesville, Va. / Monticello) was also impressive with three caused turnovers.
• Gage Turner (Fr., Spartansburg, S.C. / Providence Day) was strong between the pipes against a high octane Captains team that averaged 21 goals per game in their last three regular season games dating back to last season. He made 15 stops on 48 shots faced on the afternoon.
• JD Spotts (So., Richmond, Va. / Collegiate) had the quick draw and went 14-for-28 on face-offs on the day.

Up Next

Another home date awaits the Yellow Jackets who host Goucher next Saturday. Faceoff with the Gophers is set for 1 p.m.