Russ LeClair vs. Merchant Marine 4/4/15
David Sinclair
6
Mount Saint Mary MSMC 3-7
20
Winner Elizabethtown ETWN-M 11-2
Mount Saint Mary MSMC
3-7
6
Final
20
Elizabethtown ETWN-M
11-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Mount Saint Mary MSMC 0 1 3 2 6
Elizabethtown ETWN-M 5 6 4 5 20

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse |

Jays erupt for 20 goals in victory over Mount Saint Mary

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. – Russ LeClair's career-high eight points and five goals from Joe Clark led Elizabethtown to a 20-6 victory over Mount Saint Mary (N.Y.) Wednesday at Wolf Field in its non-conference finale.

Nothing the Knights tried could slow down one of the hottest teams in the nation. Elizabethtown jumped in front 44 seconds in on the first of four goals from Cody Larkin. LeClair picked up one of his five helpers on the day, tied for second most in a game in the team's 14-year history.

LeClair scored at 9:23 to make it 2-0, before the Blue Jays (11-2) broke away with three goals in the final 2:46 of the first. Larkin found twine for the second time and Clark netted the final two to reach the 30-goal mark.

With talent all over the field and a work ethic to match, Elizabethtown looks the part of a team with aspirations to do damage in April and May.

The Blue Jays didn't let first time opponent Mount Saint Mary back in the game, running off 10 straight goals and burying the Knights (3-7), 11-1, by halftime. E-town's six second-quarter goals came from six different players: Jimmy Waters, Jason Clough, LeClair, Kevin Meakim, Clark and Larkin. LeClair, Jordan Bowser and Jake Snyder had an assist each.

Meakim, coming off a four-goal game against Merchant Marine Saturday, scored off LeClair's pass at 6:42 of the second. Early in the third quarter he fed his senior teammate for one of two man-up goals and a 12-1 Blue Jays' lead. Clark scored his fourth of the game and 31st of the season with 8:59 remaining, before the Knights ran off three straight to cut the deficit to 13-4.

Larkin and Clark restored Elizabethtown's double-digit lead before the quarter was out, however.

Even with its reserves on the field for large portions of the second half, the homestanding Jays carried play. They just missed out on their third straight 50-shot game after totaling 49 Wednesday, but did set a new season-highs with 54 ground balls and 19 caused turnovers. A big reason for the ground ball total was Matt Rucci. The sophomore picked up 11 off 16 face-off wins on 28 tries. LeClair added six, with Snyder and Jason Kelley snagging four each.

Kelley led the way with four caused turnovers, while LeClair and Matt Frey forced three apiece. Even goalie Chris Wenger was put to work despite the lopsided score. The senior stopped 11 shots, including nine in the first half, before Davis Miracle, Basle Lavery and Trey Yetter split the fourth.

Sophomore Phil Kyger recorded his first two career goals in the fourth, while junior Jake Evans also scored the first of his career. Hunter Diem tallied his second goal in three games and John Garbellano added an assist, as 12 players scored at least one point for the Blue and Gray.

Elizabethtown's 20 goals signified its top output since 2009. Six seasons ago the Jays scored 20 in wins over Gwynedd Mercy (April 1) and Alvernia (April 18). The team's 19 caused turnovers were fifth most in a game all-time and their 29 points (20 goals, 9 assists) eighth.

Individually, LeClair's five assists tied him with former standouts Allen Churchman, Sean Thomson and Aaron Weber for second most in a game. His eight-point game was E-town's second this season, good for a fifth-place tie in the program's record book.

Winners of 10 straight, the Blue Jays are now just one victory shy of tying the school record of 12 wins in a season, accomplished in 2009 and 2010. They'll have a chance to go for that mark Saturday afternoon at 1 when they travel to Goucher.
 
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