OWINGS MILLS, Md.— Mustang Stadium has never been a favorite place for Eastern University Men's Lacrosse. In a rematch of last spring's MAC Commonwealth Championship game, the Eagles (4-7, 0-1) fell behind early and were never able to string together a comeback in a 23-8 loss to the No.12 Stevenson University Mustangs in the MAC Commonwealth opener for both teams.

Stevenson (8-3, 1-0) owned possession early and built an 8-0 lead before Christopher Fanelli scored in the waning seconds of the first quarter. The Mustangs won seven first-quarter faceoffs and enjoyed a 15-8 edge in shots.

The two teams traded goals early in the second quarter. Nick Litzenberger scored his first of three on the day in the first four and a half minutes, but the Eagles could not close the gap inside seven goals and trailed 13-3 at the half. Normally reliable, the Eastern extra-man group did not score on three chances in the second quarter or any of its six opportunities in the game.

Both teams scored four times int he fourth quarter, but the Eagles never closed the gap to less than ten. Litzenberger scored a man-down goal on a pass from Zackary Klym, and Brett Gougler scored an unassisted tally. Brett Williamson put away the last two goals of the period.

Jake Vitone scored in the fourth for his second goal of the year.

The Eagles are back on the road again on Wednesday for an important league test at Messiah University. The Falcons beat Hood 15-7 in their MAC Commonwealth opener today.