ANGOLA, Ind. - It was a solid start to the home season for the Trine University men’s lacrosse team as they used an early lead to win their first home game of the season 14-6 over Augustana (IL). With the win the Thunder improve to 2-2 on the season.
Trine jumped out to a 2-0 lead just three minutes into the game as freshman Patrick Walker (Round Lake Park, Ill./Grayslake) and senior Blaine Stahley (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids) scored at 13:16 and 12:05. The Vikings would answer back at with just under seven minutes to go, cutting the Trine lead in half.
The Thunder would answer back at the 5:31 mark of the first as Stahley scored his second goal of the game on a man-up opportunity. Junior Dalton Madsen (Westminster, Colo./Northglen) score just 15 seconds later to put the Thunder up 4-1. Trine would tally three more goals in the period including goals by freshman Adam Martin (Farmington Hills, Mich./Detroit Catholic Cen.) and Stahley just 11 second apart, Stahley’s goal was his third of the quarter.
The Thunder would tally a goal the open the second quarter before the Vikings would score again, finding the back of the net twice in the period. Dan LaFond (Neenah, Wis./Neenah) scored for Trine to give the Thunder a 9-3 lead at the break.
Both teams would score twice in the third quarter, as LaFond once again tallied the final goal of the period, scoring with just 11 seconds remaining.
Leading 11-5, the Thunder scored three goals to start the final frame including their third man-up goal of the game scored by Madsen.
The Thunder were led by Stahley and senior Andy Lauer (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) who each recorded a hat trick and added two assists. Madsen recorded three assists to go along with two goals while LaFond also added in two goals. Junior Ryan Chait (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hill), Walker and Eric Thompson each tallied a goal and an assists on the afternoon.
Thompson led the Trine defense with seven groundballs recovered while sophomore Mike Senkier (Oradell, N.J./River Dell) also grabbed six.
In goal for the Thunder, senior Alex Gregg (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville) recorded nine saves, including five during the second period.
Trine led nearly every statistical category on the afternoon. The Thunder out-shot Augustana 46-to-27 including 23-to-16 on goal. Trine was able to convert on their extra-man opportunities going 3-for-4 while the Trine defense held the Vikings to 0-for-6. The Thunder held a distinctive advantage in both groundballs recovered, 37-to-23, and faceoffs won, 16-to-6.
Trine will head back on the road as they travel to Pittsburgh on March 23 as they take on La Roche College at 7:00 p.m.
