The St. Mary’s College of Maryland men’s lacrosse team rebounded from a tough season-opening loss with a dominant 14-3 victory over Juniata College on Saturday afternoon. The Seahawks established control early, jumping out to a commanding lead and never allowing their opponents a chance to recover. The win evens St. Mary’s record at 1-1, while Juniata, playing its first game of the season, starts 0-1.
St. Mary’s wasted no time asserting itself, scoring seven unanswered goals in the first half, with contributions from seven different players. Their balanced attack kept Juniata on its heels, while the Seahawks’ defense limited offensive opportunities for the Eagles. It wasn’t until the 7:06 mark in the second quarter that Juniata finally got on the board when Liam Walsh found the back of the net. By halftime, however, St. Mary’s had built a comfortable 7-1 lead.
The Seahawks continued their aggressive play into the third quarter, scoring five straight goals to push the lead to 12-1 with just under six minutes remaining in the period. Juniata managed to add a second goal shortly after, with Walsh picking up an assist, but St. Mary’s closed out the contest with a 2-1 run to seal the dominant victory.
Statistically, the Seahawks controlled nearly every aspect of the game. They outshot Juniata 44-25 and held a +15 turnover margin. They also won the battle for ground balls, securing a 44-31 advantage. The Eagles found some success in face-offs, winning 12 out of 21, with Noah Harrison taking 10 of his 15 attempts.
Sophomore Declan Horton led the Seahawks’ offense with three goals and an assist while also collecting two ground balls. Sophomore defenseman Bret Hussey played a pivotal role on the other end, scooping up a career-best 13 ground balls and causing two turnovers. In goal, senior Cullen McKay delivered a standout performance, recording 10 saves in 47 minutes of action.
For Juniata, Walsh was the lone bright spot, contributing two goals and an assist. Eagles goalkeeper Ryan Madison was kept busy all game, making 21 saves through the first three quarters.
With this victory, St. Mary’s gets back on track and will look to carry this momentum forward. Next, the Seahawks travel to Ashland, Virginia, on February 22 for a matchup against Randolph-Macon, who enters the contest with an undefeated 2-0 record.
