CINCINNATI, OHIO -- Senior Nick Maher (DeWitt, Mich./DeWitt) scored four goals and had seven assists to lead the Trine University men's lacrosse team to a 24-6 win against Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Maher was one of three Trine players to score four goals on the day. Juniors Eric Peal (Imperial, Mo./Seckman) and Neil Orr (Lombard, Ill./Montini Catholic) also scored four goals each. Both players also added a pair of assists to finish with a combined six points.
Sophomore Justin Gearig (Vicksburg, Mich./Vicksburg), junior Daniel William Shine (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech College Prep) and senior Jordan Lelito (West Chicago, Ill./West Chicago) each scored two goals and six other players each scored a goal to round out the scoring.
In goal, sophomore Joseph Steigmeyer (Fort Wayne, Ind./Bishop Dwenger) started the game and played 52:07 allowing four goals and had two saves. Freshman Adam Slaber (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) saw 7:53 worth of action and gave up two goals while making one save.
Trine (2-0) scored early and often with eight total scores in the first quarter and needed just 19 seconds to record its first goal with Orr getting the first marker. Mount St. Joseph (0-2) tied the game at 1-1 a few minutes later before the Thunder scored six straight goals to take a 7-1 advantage. Orr scored two of his four goals in the game in the first period and Maher also scored a pair as Trine led, 8-3, after the first 15 minutes.
The second quarter saw the Thunder take control with seven goals for the only points scored in the frame. Peal scored back-to-back-to-back goals to begin the quarter and increased the lead to 11-3. Neither team would score again for over 12 minutes, but the half ended with Trine scoring four goals in the final 1:55. Maher found the back of the net twice during the scoring spurt as the Thunder led, 15-3, at the break.
Trine continued the offense in the third quarter with four more scores, including two more by Orr at the 7:27 and 6:25 minute marks. Gearig scored the first goal of the period with 13:58 to play and was followed by Jordan Lelito with just over 13 minutes to go as the Thunder went into the final quarter leading, 19-4.
Shine recorded the first goal of the fourth quarter for Trine, needing just 46 seconds to do so, and was one of five different players to get a shot past the MSJ netminder. The Lions tacked on a pair of goals of their own to end the scoring, but the Thunder went on to win big by the final of 24-6.
Trine is scheduled to take on Alfred (N.Y.) University on Monday, Mar. 5 in a neutral site game on the campus of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. The game is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. EST.