READING, Pa.– Eight different Eagles scored goals as Eastern University Men's Lacrosse ran to a 17-9 win at Albright in the program's first MAC Commonwealth contest. Connor Bachman scored four times to pace the Eagles.

Neither team scored int he opening ten and a half minutes, but the pace of the game changed with the Eagles scoring five times in the final 4:12 of the first. Kyle Mulrane scored twice in the burst. David Thomas, Bachman, adn Chris Durning also added tallies. The Lions who had scored after the Thomas goal to pull within a goal at 2-1 also added a tally with 19 seconds left to go to the quarter break down 5-2. 

The Eagles (2-1, 1-0 MAC Commonwealth) also won the second by a 5-2 margin. Bachman opened the frame with a goal from Kyle Fanelli and Adam Booz scored from Mulrane. Mulrane made it 8-2 when he completed his hat trick in a man-up situation off a pass from Nicholas Fanelli. Avery Porter and Kyle Fanelli scored the final two goals of the first half. 

Eastern had a  25-13 edge in shots and won 14-of-16  faceoffs. Anthony Firmani won all nine of his first-half battles at the x. While the Lions won 6-of 14 faceoffs in the second half, the first-half dominance from Firmani and Patrick McClain gave the Eagles the extra possessions to win. 

Nicholas Fanelli got on the board on a man-up chance to start the second half, and the Eagles built their edge to 14-6 with six minutes to play in the third quarter on Nicholas Fanelli's second of the day. That goal came directly off a faceoff win from McClain.

A highlight of the third came when the Eagles fought off a three-man disadvantage situation midway through the third. With Kyran Baker and Chris Durning in the box with Jimmy Kurnik. Three Eastern defenders kept the ball on the perimeter and forced a turnover. Bachman scored on the ensuing possession. 

After Adam Booz scored on a bounce shot to open the fourth, the Lions scored two-straight to close the Eastern lead to 15-9. Avery Porter beat the possession clock to put the Eagles up 16-9 with 11 minutes left. Kyle Fanelli converted a man-up chance for the Eagles' final goal of the day. The Eastern special teams were both strong. The Eagles scored on 3-of-4 man-up chance and did not allow a man-down goal.

"Albright is a very scrappy and athletic team," Head Coach Kevin Wallace said. "We won the ground ball war and  dominated faceoffs. Durning made a difference with 11 ground balls. We went 3-for-4 on man-up which helps the offense as a whole. It was a very sloppy game, but we won the middle of the field and that is what got us the win. Kyle Mulrane, Connor Bachman, and Kyle Fanelligave us a good spark in the attack. 

Durning finished with a game-high 11 ground balls, and Baker forced three turnovers. Ethan Myers made 13 saves to secure teh win.

The Eagles are back in action at home against Alvernia on Wednesday.