Babson Park, FL – The NAIA 2nd ranked Webber International University Men's Lacrosse team rallied from an early deficit and used a dominant second-half performance to defeat NAIA 9th ranked SCAD-Savannah 13-6 in a hard-fought matchup and the Warriors third straight Top 10 Win.
SCAD-Savannah started strong, capitalizing on an early man-up opportunity after a penalty. Webber International responded quickly with a man-up goal of their own, as Philip Scopano opened the scoring off an assist from Riley Small at the 12:41 mark.
The first quarter remained evenly matched, with Michael Mowers tying the game for SCAD, and Nick Sheaffer giving Webber a brief 2-1 lead. However, SCAD-Savannah's Mason Hickman and Theron Turnbull fueled their team's offense, pushing them ahead 4-2 by the end of the first quarter.
Webber struggled with penalties, allowing SCAD-Savannah multiple extra-man opportunities, including a man-down goal from Sebastian Manuel. Despite these setbacks, Webber's defense, led by Greyson Davidson, forced key turnovers that prevented SCAD from extending their lead.
Trailing 5-2 early in the second quarter, Webber found its rhythm. Dillon Ziemba became the catalyst for WIU's comeback, scoring twice in quick succession to bring the score to 5-4. His first goal came off an assist from Small, and he followed with an unassisted tally at the 11:19 mark.
At 9:31, Ziemba struck again, this time off a pass from Cameron Paleski, tying the game at 5-5. Webber took the lead moments later when Sheaffer scored another man-up goal, giving WIU its first lead since early in the game.
The Warriors' special teams made the difference, as Daniel McClure extended the lead to 7-5 with a man-up goal at 5:42. WIU's defense continued to shine, forcing SCAD-Savannah into multiple failed clears and turnovers.
Webber entered the third quarter with momentum and wasted no time asserting control. Jeremiah Loo scored just under two minutes into the half, extending WIU's lead to 8-5. The Warriors continued to dominate possession, preventing SCAD-Savannah from generating consistent offensive pressure.
Bentley King and Connor Herring added goals for Webber, pushing the lead to 10-5. The WIU defense, led by goalie Liam Murphy and standout defender Davidson, stifled SCAD's attack, forcing multiple turnovers and limiting quality scoring chances.
SCAD-Savannah managed to get one goal back early in the fourth quarter, with Sebastian Manuel scoring at the 9:59 mark to make it 12-6. However, Webber responded immediately, with Ziemba finding the net again off an assist from Sheaffer, sealing the game at 13-6.
Key Takeaways
- Special Teams Impact – Webber capitalized on man-up opportunities, scoring three goals while limiting SCADSAV's power-play effectiveness.
- Dominant Defense – WIU forced multiple turnovers, led by Davidson and Sheffield, and limited SCAD-Savannah to just two second-half goals.
- Balanced Attack – WIU had multiple scorers, with Ziemba (3 goals), Loo (2 goals), Sheaffer (2 goals), and Scopano leading the offensive charge.
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