GRANTHAM, Pa.-- Five players scored two goals, and the defense was
dominant as Eastern University Men's Lacrosse picked up a 12-3
non-league win at Messiah College to head into Easter Break. Eastern
scored 10 of the final 11 goals of the match to improve to 7-2 on the
year.
Faceoff specialist AJ Ryan was limited by injury in the early part of
the year, but the senior is rounding back into form. He won 15-of-19 (79
%) at the X to give the visiting Eagles a commanding edge in possession
throughout the evening. Ryan went 0-for-14 against the Falcons in two
games as a freshman, but since that point, he has seen his percentages
climb in the rivalry game. He won 55 percent as a sophomore and last
year he controlled 65 percent in a 14-6 win at Eastern.
Ryan won the first two faceoffs and the Eagles controlled play early.
Both teams had turnovers on their first possessions before Will Johnson
converted from the right side on a feed from Chris Farrar. Johnson's
only goal of the day is his third of the year. He is currently ninth on
Eastern's career list with 61 goals scored.
Farrar picked up a helper on the second goal of the game as well. The
Eagles scored almost immediately in transition after Ryan won the
faceoff. Zac Ivy scored his first of two on the afternoon from the
doorstep. The two goals were only seven seconds apart.
Ryan won the third faceoff as well, but the Falcons got the stop they
needed and were able to halve the deficit on a Tyler Goglio goal with
8:20 on the clock. Messiah won the next battle at the X and after an
extended possession, they drew level on a dodge and shot from Andrew
Harris.
Eastern then rattled off three goals in the final six minutes of the
first quarter to grab control of the match. Andy Jameson scored from Ivy
for the lead, and Farrar stretched the edge with an unassisted tally a
minute later. In the final minute of the period, Matt Soldano scored
from distance on a Grant Ferguson feed to put the Eagles up three.
Eastern had an 11-5 edge in first-period shots, and senior goalie Aaron
Benz did not make any of his eight stops in the first fifteen minutes.
The Eagles increased their control over the match in the second period.
The Eagles out-shot Messiah 18-4 in the period and scored three times to
lead 8-2 at the intermission. Chris Farrar scored from the doorstep on a
pass from Ivy just past the midway point. Grant Ferguson then
capitalized on a man-up chance from Kyle Gillam less than a minute
later. Ron Johnson scored the final goal of the half in transition after
one of Benz's three saves.
The Eastern defense, led by midfielders Ron Johnson, Shawn Farmer and
Brendan Stouber, was dominant through the game. The trio of defensive
midfielders kept the Messiah attackers from getting into dangerous
positions without committing fouls. Stouber had a pair of caused
turnovers and two ground balls, and Farmer had four ground balls.
Messiah (2-5) scored to open the second half, but the Eagles answered
with goals from Soldano and Jameson to close out the period. First-year
midfielder Desmond Decker picked up the assist on Jameson's goal with
under a half a minute to play.
Ferguson picked up his team-best 24th of the year with 10:28 to play and
Ivy scored from Soldano at the eight minute mark. Ivy's tally is the
70th of his career, and he now has 99 career points. He is alone in sixth
on the Eastern career goal list.
Through 22 career games, Ferguson has 45 goals and 21 assists.
With
two goals and two assists in the win, Farrar continued to climb closer
to the career lead in goals, assists, and points. His 83rd goal moved
him in front of Nick Mandia and into third on the career goal list. The
senior attackman trails Mandia by nine assists and eight total points.
The Eagles (7-2) have over a week to prepare for their Freedom Conference opener at DeSales next Saturday.
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