LAURINBURG, N.C.- Senior Kyle Loda (Vienna, Va.) had a team-high three points for host St. Andrews Presbyterian College but visiting Queens University of Charlotte scored on nearly half of its shots en route to a 21-10 Conference Carolinas men's lacrosse victory on a rainy Saturday afternoon during the Knights 'Senior Day'.
The Royals improved to 4-5 overall and 3-1 in the conference behind a six-point performance from senior Stephan LeBlanc (Restoule, Ontario, Highland), who ranks in the top-10 nationally with 4.67 points per game. LeBlanc netted a game-high four goals while supplying two assists.
The Knights maintain 3-8 overall and 0-2 league ledgers after dropping their third straight game. A trio of SAPC seniors had two goals on their 'Senior Day' including Loda, Phil Hardy (Cincinnati, Ohio), and Ethan Young (Hilliard, Ohio).
St. Andrews jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first three minutes. Sophomore Harrison Young (Upperville, Va.) scored on a long shot in the first minute while Hardy doubled up the Knights advantage with 12:33 on the clock. Queens rallied back and took the lead for good with the next five goals. Six different Royals scored in the first quarter as QUC built a 7-3 lead after 15 minutes.
Queens pulled away with a dominating 6-1 second quarter to increase its lead to 13-4 at halftime. The Royals scored five straight goals in the third quarter to take its largest lead of the game at 18-5 before coasting to the 11-goal victory.
The Royals held slim 44-41 shot advantage and a 53-51 ground ball edge. Sophomore goalie Rob Bacharach (Baltimore, Md., Dulaney) made 15 saves in his first start of the season. Bacharach (1-0) played the first 51 minutes while senior Tyler Rauch (Lake Mary, Fla., Lake Mary) had three stops in the final nine minutes.
St. Andrews freshman Chase Perkins (Poway, Calif.) scored his first collegiate goal while junior Kyle Carnaggio (Pasadena, Md.) provided the Knights with one goal and one assist.
Young won 17-of-29 face offs as the Knights won 21-of-34 total face offs. Young, who ranks in the top-three nationally in ground balls per game, picked up a game-high 15 ground balls.
Knights' sophomore goalie Patrick Wade (West Windsor, N.J.) allowed nine goals in the start while freshman Morgan Jennings (Brentwood, Tenn.) gave up 12 goals by Queens. Wade had four saves while Jennings made three stops.
Freshman B.J. Leighton (Apex, NC, Apex) tallied a hat trick for the visitors. The Royals also got multiple goals from senior Brian Lipscomb (Hilton Head, S.C., Hilton Head )junior Branden Stansley (Sylvania, Ohio, Northview) , and junior Brian Masterson (Toledo, Ohio, St. Johns).
Queens hosts Pfeiffer on April 1, at 6pm.
