SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Eastern University Men's Lacrosse got off to strong start on Wednesday night with nine goals in the first half of play against Swarthmore at Clothier Field Stadium. However, the host Garnet outscored Eastern 11-3 in the second half to come away with a 17-12 triumph. Nick Litzenberger led the Eagles with three goals, while Christopher Fanelli, Patrick McClain, Nicholas Fanelli, and Avery Porter each scored twice in the loss. 

The Garnet (2-0) opened the scoring in the first three minutes, but Eastern rallied back with three straight tallies to take a 3-1 lead. Christopher Fanelli opened the scoring on a man-up opportunity off a great pass from Ryan Drobnick, before Nicholas Fanelli scored off an assist from Jake Gottschalk. Gottschalk recorded two assists in the contest. 

Swarthmore's Jackson Brosgol cut the Eastern lead to one with 5:20 remaining in the first quarter, but the Eagles scored twice in 36 seconds to regain their two-goal advantage. Litzenberger scored his first of the evening off a feed from Christopher Fanelli, before first-year attackman Gavin Stark scored his second collegiate goal to put the Eagles up 5-2 with 3:30 remaining in the period. Swarthmore found twine in the final 1:09 to make it 5-3 heading into the second quarter. 

Litzenberger opened the scoring in the second frame to make it a 6-3 Eastern advantage. However, the Garnet answered with three straight goals to tie the contest at 6-6 with 3:11 to play in the first half. Eastern closed out the second quarter with authority, scoring three times in the final minute to go up 9-6 at the halftime break. Christopher Fanelli notched his second tally of the evening, before McClain won a faceoff and raced down the field untouched to make it 8-6. Porter capped off the rally with a man-up tally off another strong pass from Gottschalk. 

Nicholas Fanelli scored at the 12:49 mark of the third quarter to put the Eagles up 10-7, but Swarthmore controlled the contest the rest of the way. The Garnet rattled off nine straight goals between the third and fourth quarter, turning their 10-7 deficit into a 16-10 lead. Porter and Litzenberger each scored in the fourth to cut the Garnet advantage to four, but the Eagles would not get any closer. 

Litzenberger led the Eagles with 12 shots, seven of which were on target, while Nicholas Fanelli led the Eastern defensive effort with five ground balls. McClain and Anthony Firmani combined to win 18-of-32 faceoffs. 

Eastern (0-2) will travel down to Texas for a pair of matches over Spring Break. The Eagles will be back in action on Thursday, March 2 against Calvin at Southwestern.