Box Score OWINGS MILLS, Md. – The 11th-ranked Stevenson University men's lacrosse team overcame a slow start and allowed just two goals in the second half as it downed Messiah College 11-6 in MAC Commonwealth action Wednesday night at Mustang Stadium. The win extended Stevenson's win streak to eight games.
Stevenson (11-4, 6-0 MAC Commonwealth) also improved to 30-0 all-time in MAC Commonwealth regular season play and won its fourth straight home game.
Senior Stephen Banick paced the Mustangs with four goals, in the process moving into fourth place in program history in career points with 250. Junior Wade Korvin totaled three goals and an assist, while senior Matt Tompkins and juniors Kyle D'Onofrio and Parish Young each tallied a goal and an assist. Senior Dylan Muti had the other Stevenson goal.
Messiah (7-6, 3-2 MAC Commonwealth) got two goals apiece from Trey Hanshew and Blake Knobloch.
The Falcons jumped out to a 2-0 lead just under six minutes into the game as Knobloch scored at 13:37 and Hanshew at 9:19. Just over a minute later, Banick got the Mustangs on the board, and the game remained 2-1 until Tompkins scored on a feed from Korvin with 1:24 left in the first quarter to tie the game, where it remained at the end of the first quarter.
The two teams traded goals in the second frame, with Ryan Van Bochoven giving the guests a 3-2 lead at the 8:41 mark. Korvin struck 47 seconds later to tie the game 3-3, before Hanshew reclaimed the lead for Messiah at the 6:55 mark. Banick closed out the first half scoring at 4:29 as the teams entered the locker room knotted 4-4.
Messiah started the second half a man up and took a 5-4 lead 17 seconds into the third quarter at Knobloch scored. The Falcons would be shut out the rest of the quarter, as Young scored at 10:11 to tie the game. D'Onofrio gave the hosts the lead for good 43 seconds later, and Banick scored at 6:21 to give Stevenson a 7-5 lead after three.
Joseph Franken halved the Stevenson lead at the 11:58 mark, but it took just 16 seconds for Muti to record his fourth goal of the season off a feed from sophomore Lito Flanagan off the faceoff to make it 8-6. Banick scored at 7:45 to make it 9-6 before Korvin closed out the scoring with goals at 3:52 (man-up) and 2:34.
Stevenson outshot Messiah 26-10 in the second half and 43-29 for the game while picking up 40 ground balls to 34 for the Falcons. Senior Connor Skeen relieved freshman Garrett Egnaczyk after Messiah's second goal and made nine saves, while Egnaczyk recorded one. Messiah counterpart Sam Stengel went the distance and recorded 16 saves.
Flanagan and senior Taylor Morgan each picked up seven ground balls, with Flanagan also finishing with four caused turnovers. Messiah did win 13-of-19 faceoffs on the evening.
Stevenson returns to action Saturday when it travels to Lebanon Valley for a 1:00 MAC Commonwealth contest.
