ASHLAND, Va. – Sophomore Austin Payne (Charlottesville, Va./Western Albemarle) had four goals and one assist for five points as the Randolph-Macon men's lacrosse team dropped a 20-14 decision to Mary Washington to kick off the 2023 season.

The Basics

Score: Mary Washington 20, Randolph-Macon 14

Venue: Day Field

Records: R-MC 0-1, UMW 1-0

How It Happened

• The Eagles netted the first two goals before Payne registered his first goal on an assist by senior Cameron Foti (Annandale, Va./Annandale) with 8:32 left in the first period. UMW tallied the next four goals and led 6-1 after one quarter.
• Junior Bubba Bowen (Arnold, Md./Broadneck) scored a man-up goal eight seconds into the second period to make it 6-2. Following an Eagle score, Bowen fed Payne for a goal and Payne assisted junior Jack Smith (Stevensville, Md./DeMatha) as the Yellow Jackets pulled within three at 7-4 with 10:30 left in the quarter. Sophomore Avery Tankersley (Baltimore, Md./Boys Latin) and Smith both scored in between Eagle goals as UMW led 10-6 at halftime.
• The Eagles had four of the first five goals of the third quarter, with Bowen scoring for R-MC on an assist by senior Duncan O'Brien (Virginia Beach, Va./Frank W. Cox), as the visitors built a 14-7 advantage with 4:40 remaining. Payne added a goal off a pass from junior Ryan Pritchard (Crofton, Md./DeMatha) and O'Brien scored in the final minute from Smith as the Yellow Jackets trailed 14-9 heading to the final period.
• UMW recorded the first two goals of the fourth quarter before Smith assisted Payne on a score, Foti scored on an assist by sophomore Cooper Hauser (Charlottesville, Va./Monticello) and Smith added a goal to make it 16-12 midway through the period. The Eagles had four of the final six goals, with O'Brien netting the two for the Yellow Jackets, as the game ended 20-14.

By The Numbers

• R-MC had four players score multiple goals. Payne registered four, Smith and O'Brien both had three and Bowen added two.
• Smith was the only Yellow Jacket with multiple assists with two. He finished with five points.
• Payne paced R-MC with 13 shots, including nine on goal. Smith had 10 shots with six on goal.
• Foti, Hauser and freshman Brodie Kent (Coquitlam, Canada/Centennial) each had four ground balls.
• Senior RJ Goodman (Mt. Airy, Md./Glenelg) had two caused turnovers.
• Freshman Owen Gucwa (Raleigh, N.C./Cardinal Gibbons) recorded nine saves.

Up Next

Randolph-Macon will host St. Mary's (Md.) on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. on Day Field.