BELOIT, Wis. – The Elmhurst men's lacrosse team outscored Beloit 6-1 in the second half on its way to an 11-10 road victory.
After the Buccaneers (1-5) went on a 6-1 run in the second quarter, Elmhurst (2-4) responded with a 7-0 that started with a goal in the final second of the first half and ended with the Bluejays taking a two-goal lead with five minutes left in the game.
Mac Harden scored three times in the 7-0 run, including the go ahead goal with 6:32 remaining in the game.
The two teams headed into the second quarter tied at three. In the first period,
Tyler Dailey scored the first goals of the game,
Jackson Mandli added the second tally, and Harden scored his first of the game with six minutes to go in the quarter.
Michael Boyland scored Beloit's first four goals and helped the Buccaneers pull away, scoring three times in a 5-0 run that put his team up 7-3. Beloit outshot Elmhurst 22-3 in the second quarter.
As the half was expiring,
Nick Bonastia made a save and tossed the ball the length of the field. His pass somehow found
Dan O'Connell who scored to pull the Bluejays within four (9-5) at the break.
Elmhurst scored the first six goals of the second half to take the lead. Harden scored three times in the run, while
Mal Euson,
Matt Westhaver, and
David Fracassa added the other three. Bluejays assisted on all six of the second-half goals with O'Connell setting up an Elmhurst goal twice.
Now leading 11-9, Beloit pulled one closer with 2:09 to play, but the Bluejays held the ball for the final portions of the contest aided by a Buccaneer penalty.
Harden led all Bluejays with four goals, while Mandli both scored twice. O'Connell finished with three assists and Bonastia scooped up six ground balls to lead the Bluejays.
Michael Boyland finished the game with a game-high five goals for Beloit and Jake Wallace notched two assists.
Beloit outshot Elmhurst 45-35, but Elmhurst held a 24-13 advantage in the second half.
Nick Bonastia made 19 saves on his way to a win, while Beloit's John Murphy stopped 10 shots.
Elmhurst travels to John Carroll University this Saturday, March 19 for a 12:00 p.m. (EST) start.
