Franciscan 25, La Roche 0
Franciscan Starters
Sam Smith, Andrew Wojcik, Joseph Redmond, Jeofre Strandhagen Alexander Dhabliwala, Samuel Marshall, Jake Likoudis, Michael Francis, Richard Vale II, & Goalkeeper - Fabian Onativia
La Roche Starters
Pompeo, Hayes, Wagner, Grebiner, Tebbe, Budgick, Heil, Waslosky, Carbonell, & Goalkeeper - Radecki
How It Happened
The Franciscan Men's Lacrosse improved to 3-0 on the season, as they defeated La Roche on Thursday afternoon by a score of 25-0.
This is the first time in program history that Barons have started a season with three consecutive wins. Even though they were away from their own turf, the team stayed strong on both ends of the field. Historically, the Barons and the Redhawks have gone back and forth, with Franciscan having a 5-4 record against them all time. Fortunately, the winner of this game was never in doubt.
The Barons took no time to score their first goal, with freshman Alex Ahmann sinking one in the net with an assist from Gavin Cook. The star junior would land a goal of his own shortly after, putting the Barons up 2-0 in the first 4 minutes of the game. Along with this offensive onslaught, Franciscan continued to play excellent team defense, with Defensive Player of the Week Sam Smith causing multiple turnovers for La Roche. These turnovers created many opportunities for the Barons, with Michael Francis landing two consecutive goals. The first quarter ended with Franciscan up 9-0.
The Barons continued their reign for the rest of the game. Gavin Cook controlled the field like a puppet-master, getting two consecutive assists at the start of the second quarter. Cook would end the game with a team-leading 4 assists. The Barons continued to cause turnovers, win face offs, and pick up ground balls. By the end of the match, Franciscan emerged with the shine of complete victory, 25-0.
To put this game in perspective, the Barons scored 10 and 12 goals in their last two games respectively. Not only did the offense score a staggering 25 goals, but they also held La Roche to 0 points. Zero! The Barons played pristine on both ends of the field. The entire team was locked in, with 8 different players scoring at least 2 goals. Michael Francis led the way with 5 goals, with Samuel Marshall and Gavin Cook not far behind with 4 each. Richard Vale II led the team on defense, causing 3 turnovers and grabbing 10 ground balls. The Barons continue to make a strong statement, winning their first three games of the season. Now, they look to extend their winning streak on Saturday against Mount St. Joseph University.
Inside the Numbers
-Cook led the Barons in scoring with 8 points (4 goals and 4 assists)
-Vale picked up 10 Ground Balls and caused 3 turnovers.
-The Barons tallied 62 shots allowing only 5
-Michael Francis, Gavin Cook, Alexander Dhabliwala, Dominic Scordino, and Samuel Marshall all recorded their first hat tricks this season.
Up Next
Franciscan will continue their four game road trip, as they travel to Mount St. Joseph for a Saturday afternoon matchup. The Barons are 2-0 all-time against the Lions with one win coming last season by a score of 18-6. Samuel Marshall had a career day in the win with eight goals and three assists to give him 11 points. The Lions are off to a slow start this season, as they hold an 0-4 record, including an 9-18 loss to Wilmington, who Franciscan beat last week.
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