History is Made! Men's Lacrosse Defeats Lyndon 6-3 for first win in program history
North Adams, MA- The MCLA Men's lacrosse program has been waiting for this day. In fact, they waited well over a year due to the coronavirus pandemic cutting short their inaugural 2020 season. After waiting 368 days, the Trailblazers finally returned to action and they made history in the process.
MCLA defeated the visiting NVU-Lyndon Hornets 6-3 in the season opener for both schools this afternoon at Shewcraft Field. The win marked the first in MCLA's brief history. The Trailblazers also got off to a great start in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) by defeating the Hornets. MCLA is now 1-0 overall and in conference play. The Hornets are 0-1 overall and in the NAC.
The Hornets actually kicked off the scoring in this one as they tallied just three minutes in to take an early 1-0 advantage. The Trailblazers would answer however when Nicholas Waterman converted his first goal of the game just 18 seconds after the Hornet goal. He scored off a nice pass from Matt Ortiz to knot things up at 1-1.
MCLA's Johnny Hebert would notch his first marker of 2021 at the seven minute mark to give the hosts a short lived lead. NVU-Lyndon tied things up again just 18 seconds later on Taner Onor's marker to make it 2-2. The score would remain that way through the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, MCLA asserted themselves and took a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Hebert would connect on his second goal of the game off a nice feed from Elias Clement to give MCLA a 3-2 lead. Waterman would increase the margin to 4-2 after converting a Dan Cook feed. MCLA would hold the lead into halftime.
NVU-Lyndon sliced the deficit in half in the third quarter on Edward McNeil's tally, but MCLA would answer on Brandon Murray's first goal to make it 5-3 heading to the closing quarter.
In the fourth, MCLA would control possession and ultimately put the game away on Clement's tally from Hebert with 9:55 remaining. The Trailblazers would control the clock and hold the Hornets at bay to preserve their first ever Win.
MCLA's Brady Larkin earned the win in goal collecting 8 saves in the process. Waterman and Hebert paced the offense with two goals apiece and led the MCLA attack amassing 22 shots. Hebert added a pair of assists.
Lyndon's Aaron Florence absorbed the loss stopping 19 shots.
MCLA held a 42-27 edge in shots as well as a 47-34 mark in groundballs.
The Trailblazers are back in action next week when they host Husson on Saturday.