NORTON, Mass. – The Clark University men's lacrosse team (8-5, 1-4 NEWMAC) earned their first NEWMAC victory of the season sparked by a strong first half as they topped Wheaton (6-6, 1-4 NEWMAC) 15-8 on Saturday afternoon from Diane Nordin Field.  

How it Happened

• Senior Matt Wells created a chance early in the first that was saved before Emmett Edwards scored a goal for the Lyons less than five minutes into the game.
• Sophomore Huy Doan won the ensuing faceoff and senior Alex D'Entrone scored on that possession to tie the game at 1-1 before graduate student Casey McCullough saved a shot to keep the score tied.
• Sophomore Eric Aswad netted the next two goals of the game, with the second goal coming off a feed from graduate Patrick Liddy to push the lead to 3-1.
• Before the end of the first, graduate student Matthew MInkwitz found the back of the cage and added his second goal of the afternoon early in the second as the Cougars held a 5-1 edge.
• Senior Ryan Kerr netted a goal off a pass from Minkwitz and Liddy found the back of the cage with 10:48 remaining in the second as Clark netted seven unanswered goals.
• Graduate student Jacob Wharton caused a turnover and McCullough recorded save before Wheaton added a pair of goals to cut the deficit to four.
• Minkwitz added a man-up goal off a pass from senior Matt Wells before the break as the scarlet and white took an 8-3 lead into the half.
• Graduate student Colin Howard created a chance early in the third that was saved before Minkwitz scored off a feed from Liddy to push the edge to 9-3.
• After a Wheaton goal, Minkwitz answered with a goal after graduate student Jason Tautel scooped up a ground ball to push the edge to 10-4.
• Zach Wyborney netted Wheaton's next goal before Clark ended the third with four unanswered goals as Minkwitz, senior Mason Kaufmann, and Wells all scored, with Wells scoring a pair of goals as the scarlet and white took a 14-5 lead entering the fourth.
• McCullough tallied a save early in the fourth and Kerr created a chance that was stopped before Wheaton netted three unanswered goals to pull within six at 14-8.
• Minkwitz netted the final goal of the game with 0:37 to help the Cougars secure a 15-8 victory over Wheaton.

Inside the Box Score

• Clark attempted 54 shots, won 18 faceoffs, converted 21 clears, scooped up 34 ground balls, and forced 19 turnovers.
• Minkwitz led the squad with seven goals and dished out an assist.
• McCullough recorded nine saves in the victory.
• Wells and Aswad each scored two goals.
• D'Entrone and Liddy both tallied a goal and a pair of assists.
• Tautel, Cuda, and Wharton each caused a pair of turnovers.
• O'Rourke and Arzanipour recorded seven faceoff wins each.

What's Next
The Cougars will return to the field on Saturday when they travel to Babson for their final road game of the regular season beginning at 4:00 p.m.