ST. DAVIDS, Pa.- In a day dedicated to cancer awareness, Eastern University Men's Lacrosse scored 33 seconds into the contest and never looked back in a 10-3 MAC win over King's College. Will Johnson and Chris Farrar each scored three goals on the afternoon.

Ron Johnson opened the scoring on an unassisted tally after A.J. Ryan won the opening face-off. Johnson started the game in the back and came forward once the ball had beeb won and kept going. 

"I was glad to see Ron score early, because he has had that chance a couple times and not taken it," Head Coach Brandon Childs said after the game. Will Johnson added,"Having a goal right off the bat definitely pumps everyone up. The bench gets into it. We were pumped to start the game anyway, but getting goal right off the bat is awesome for momentum."

Three minutes later, Farrar scored his first on a roll from behind the crease and Zac Ivy tallied his sixth of the year on Dave Darling feed with 9:21 to play in the first period. The visiting Monarchs scored their first of the day off the ensuing face-off on a good solo effort from Chris Fuldner. Will Johnson closed out the first period with a an unassisted tally. The Eagles held a 12-5 advantage in shots and a slim 11-9 advantage in ground balls in the frame.

Ivy and Farrar scored in transition off Ron Johnson passes to start the second period. The Monarchs closed the gap to 6-2 on a Ryan Bullock goal with 2:14 to play, but the Eagles quickly restored their five goal edge on a blistering shot in transition from Dave Darling. Ron Johnson picked up his third assist of the period on the play.

"Farrar is always putting himself in the right position making it easy for me, Ron Johnson said of his role as a feeder in transition, "and with Darling occupying his man up top, one of those three guys is always going to open up, and I just have to put get it there." 

The Eagles went to intermission up 7-2 and controlling the game. At the half, fans had a chance to make a donation to the Trey Love Foundation and hit a shot from midfield for a gift card. The event was just one of the ways Eastern Lacrosse worked to raise awareness of Cancer and what can be done. A tent was present to encourage people to register to become bone marrow donors , and the team wore lime green socks and encouraged people to wear lime green in support of the HEADstrong foundation .

Eastern added goals from Farrar and Will Johnson in the third period and Will Johnson added his third of the day early in the fourth to end the Eastern scoring for the day. King's had a 19-9 advantage in shots in the second half, but the Eastern defense made those shots tough ones and Aaron Benz (11 saves), Patrick Groschan (1 save) and Brandon Schmidt (1 save) were able to keep the Monarchs off the board until the final minute of play.

"We have to practice against them every day," Will Johnson said of the Eastern defense, "but sometimes during games I look back there and think, 'man, I'm glad we don't have to play against those guys.' We have some tenacious guys on defense." The Eastern defense has allowed only eleven goals in four league games.

"Coach talked about it a little before the game," Ron Johnson said of the HEADstrong day, "but a lot of it is what he has been trying to do all year. Our motto is 'All these things we do' and the idea of that is serving others. It's something that is always there, but it is nice to see people supporting the cause and a visual demostration today."

"I want to thank King's for their team's donation to the Trey Love Foundation," Childs said, "That says a lot about their coach and their program. Today was a good day for us, and it is good to be 4-0 in the MAC. I hope we can carry this momentum into a tough stretch of games we have coming up."

The Eagles (5-3, 4-0 MAC) return to action on Olson Field this Wednesday against FDU-Florham.

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