MISENHEIMER, N.C. – The Franciscan men's lacrosse team opened its 2019 Spring Break trip at Pfeiffer on Tuesday. The Barons fell to the Falcons, 23-8.
After Pfeiffer got out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first quarter, junior
Michael Araps got the Barons on the board with his only goal of the game. After a shot from
Steve Smith went wide, Araps dove to pick up a ground ball and as he was still on the ground, flipped the ball past the Falcon keeper to cut the lead to 2-1 with 11:45 to play in the first.
Just under a minute later, sophomore
Jerome Harkins tied the game for Franciscan with his first of three goals in the game. Harkins caused a turnover close to midfield and picked the ground ball. The sophomore then sprinted toward the goal and buried a shot from about 15 yards out to knot the game 2-2 with 9:55 to play in the opening quarter.
Pfeiffer pushed its lead to 6-2 with four-straight goals before Smith got on the board himself with his first goal to cut the lead in half, 6-3, at the end of the first.
Harkins opened the second quarter with his second goal of the game to get the Barons to within two, 6-4, but the Falcons scored the quarters final seven goals to take a 13-4 lead at halftime.
Pfeiffer's run continued in the third as the host's scored the first two goals of the quarter to take a 14-4 lead just over a minute into action. Smith halted the run with his second goal of the game with 10:02 left after a successful clear that was started with a save by the sophomore goalie,
Grant McKeown. Harkins added his final goal of the game 1:33 later after a Pfeiffer turnover set up the Baron offense.
The Falcons scored the quarter's final five goals to take a 20-6 lead going in to the final 15 minutes.
After Pfeiffer scored a pair of goals to start the fourth, senior Dan McCarty got on the board with the first of his two goals for the game with 4:48 to play. The Falcons got one back before McCartney scored the game's last goal to seal the 23-8 game for Pfeiffer.
The Barons close out their week on the road as they visit Averett on Friday for a 4:00 pm contest.
