Babson Park, FL – The 9th ranked Webber International Men's Lacrosse team piled up offense from start to finish on Friday afternoon, rolling past Columbia (S.C.) 24-4 in conference play at Babson Park. The Warriors improved to 7-3 overall and 3-1 in league action with the home victory.
After Columbia grabbed an early 2-1 lead, Webber quickly flipped the match by scoring the final five goals of the first quarter to take a 6-2 advantage. Jeremiah Loo helped spark the surge, while Isaiah Espaillat, Sam Shields and Nick Sheaffer all found the back of the net during the opening period.
The Warriors broke the game open in the second quarter, outscoring the Koalas 9-1 in the frame for a commanding 15-3 halftime lead. Shields continued his big day with three second-quarter goals, while Loo added another score and assisted on several others as Webber overwhelmed Columbia with its pace and possession game.
Webber never let up after the break, scoring five times in the third and four more in the fourth to cruise to the 20-goal win. The Warriors were especially sharp on extra-man chances, converting 3-of-4 power-play opportunities, while also dominating faceoffs 24-8 and holding a 28-12 edge in ground balls.
Shields led the attack with six goals and one assist, while Loo turned in a monster performance with five goals and eight assists. Nick Sheaffer added four goals and three assists, Ethan Baker finished with two goals and three assists, and Branden Sheaffer chipped in two goals and one assist. Malachi LaRue controlled the faceoff circle with 22 faceoff wins and 10 ground balls, and goalkeeper Colton Renkiewicz made 10 saves in the win.
For Columbia, Tanner Kuykendall, William Tanks, Noah Norwood and a team goal accounted for the scoring. Fin Landi recorded 12 saves before Joshua Nguyen added six more in relief, but Webber's 55-shot output proved too much to overcome.
For the latest and most up-to-date information on Warrior Athletics. Please visit www.webberathletics.com. Follow us on Twitter- @WebberAthletics, Instagram- @Webber_Athletics, and Facebook by searching Webber International University Athletics.
