READING, Pa— Eastern University Men's Lacrosse pulled away in each of the even numbered quarters to claim a 23-11 MAC Commonwealth win at Alvernia.
Benjamin Souder won 20-of-27 faceoffs, and
Frankie Fanelli finished with five goals and two assists to lead a balanced Eastern offense that had ten Eagles scoring goals.
Maxwell Forrey scored the first two goals of the game, but the Golden Wolves (7-6, 1-3) had an answer. the hosts scored three times in a two-and-a-half minute stretch to grab what would be their only lead of the game at 3-2.
Fanelli set up
Gavin Stark for a goal with four minutes left in the first and 80 seconds later,
Brett Gougler dropped in his 20th of the year. Alvernia tied the game at 4-4 before
Noah Booth dropped in his first career goal with 81 seconds left in the frame.
Scoring the first eight goals of the frame, the Eagles owned the second quarter. Two early saves from Brennan Kirn turned into a transition attempt and Fanelli finished a pass from
Jackson Foley for a 6-4 lead only halfway through the first minute of the second period.
After an Alvernia Penalty, Fanelli set up
Andrew Collins for an extra-man tally. The Golden WOlves then went four minutes without possessing the ball. The Eagles scored four times in that burst. Forrey opened the burst and closed it out with Gougler and Stark scoring in the middle.
When Alvernia finally got the ball and fired a shot with nine minutes left in the half, Kirn made the save and
Jack Bradley finished in transition on a feed from
Brett Williamson. Bradley, who now plays with a short stick, last scored in 2023.
Levi Souder made it 13-4 before the Golden Wolves broke through with two minutes left. The Eagles won 7-of-10 faceoffs in the period and had a 12-to-6 edge in shots on goal.
After both teams scored five times in the third, the Eagles (3-11, 2-2) scored another five goals in the fourth but only let in one.
Brett Williamson and Booth each finished the game with four assists. Souder gathered in a career-best 15 ground balls. Alvernia goalie Nathan Byrne finished with 16 saves.
The Eagles will host the Messiah University Falcons on Saturday.
