Westfield, IN – The Webber International Men's Lacrosse team played their second of three games in Westfield, Indiana against the NAIA #10 Madonna Crusaders on Wednesday. After being down 7-4 at the half, the Warriors offense and defense exploded, outscoring the Crusaders 9-3 to take home the ranked victory 13-10.
Riley Small broke the ice for Webber, scoring the first goal less than three minutes into the game. Madonna would win the ensuing faceoff and rattle off three straight shots at Liam Murphy, with none of them scoring. A penalty on the Warriors and a failed clear attempt allowed Madonna to tie it 1-1. The Crusaders then scored three straight goals to take a 4-1 lead. A penalty on the Crusaders allowed Jeremiah Loo a man-up opportunity to score, as he lifted on past the goalie off a pass from Philip Scopano to make it 4-2 heading into the second quarter.
A turnover by the Warriors put the Crusaders in position to score again, making it 5-2. Daniel McClure responded with a goal off of a Madonna turnover, and Sheaffer would score as well, making it 5-4. Madonna scored two more times before half, making it a 7-4 deficit for Webber as they headed into halftime.
Loo scored quickly in the third quarter, off an assist from Sheaffer, making it 7-5. Multiple saves from Luke Secreti in goal helped turn defense into offense, as Small broke through again to bring Webber within one goal, 7-6. Another penalty on Madonna gave Sheaffer a man-up goal with an assist from McClure, to tie the game at 7-7. Madonna would soon retake the lead, but a goal from Connor Herring retied it at 8-8. McClure found the back of the net one more time in the third, giving Webber a 9-8 lead heading into the fourth.
Small and Joshua Colon-Prinzo gave the Warriors a three goal cushion with back-to-back goals, making it 11-8. A two-minute penalty on the Crusaders gave the Warriors a man-up opportunity again, which Loo buried off another assist from Scopano. After two goals from Madonna, Sheaffer ended the scoring with his third goal of the game and 100th of his career to make it 13-10 and lead the Warriors to victory.
Loo and Sheaffer led the team with four points, each securing a hat trick and an assist. Small and McClure had three, with Small also recording a hat trick, while McClure had a brace and an assist. Defensively, Raja Brooks and Luke Pallone led the team with five ground balls apiece. Brooks and Greyson Davidson led the team with two caused turnovers. In goal, Secreti made 10 saves to help lead te Warriors to victory.
Webber has one more game in Westfield, against Concordia on Thursday, February 13th at 11:00 A.M.
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