via Embry-Riddle press release/website, photo by Maggie Allen

BOX SCORE

BELMONT, N.C. – In the last non-conference game of the season, the Embry-Riddle men’s lacrosse team went on a late 5-1 run to get within one goal of RV Belmont Abbey with 6:38 remaining, but the Eagles (4-4) were unable to finish the comeback and lost 14-10 to the Crusaders (4-3).

It was the first-ever meeting between Embry-Riddle and Belmont Abbey as head coach Spencer Wims returned to the place where he started his coaching career. Wims served as an assistant coach for the Crusaders from 2012 to 2015. 

After notching a program-record 25 saves against Tampa last week, Carter Groezinger continued his solid play inside the crease as the goalie stopped the first four shots he faced. 

The Crusaders scored the opening goal just under five minutes into the contest, but the Eagles quickly responded two minutes later when Jacob Schripsema found Marcus Needham in the center of the attacking area. Needham then unleashed a shot into the top left corner for the tying goal. 

Belmont Abbey went back up 2-1, but Coleman Jacobs also found success on the left side of the net as his shot went through to even the score with a minute left in the quarter. 

At the end of the first fifteen minutes, Groezinger had racked up eight saves to help keep the Eagles in the contest early on.

Another equalizing goal was recorded with 12:48 left in the second when Isaiah Hines pushed a shot to the back of the net from the right side despite a defender pressing a stick against Hines’ body. 

The junior scored for a second time with three minutes to go in the half when he drove in on the right side, spun to the left to get separation, and buried a shot. At the break, it was 6-4 in favor of Belmont Abbey.

Just over a minute into the second half, Jacobs used a spin move of his own to get free and bounced a shot into the bottom right corner to bring the Eagles back within one. 

Unfortunately, the Crusaders then scored five unanswered goals to put ERAU down 10-5, but all hope was not lost. A quick score at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth would help ignite a 5-1 run for the Blue and Gold.

Following a shot clock violation with 13 seconds left in the third, the Eagles passed the ball down the field to Hines who pressed toward the net and successfully sent another shot past the netminder for his fifth hat trick of the season.

At the start of the fourth, Ryan Manning collected the ground ball from the faceoff and sprinted on a straight line toward the goal. He was able to finish on a shot to the top right corner to give Embry-Riddle its second goal in the span of 27 seconds.

The deficit continued to shrink thanks to goals from Christian Hofer, Trent McCauley, and a kneeling shot by Hines until the Eagles were only down by one at 11-10. 

Sadly, that was as close as they would get as BAC scored three more times to thwart the comeback attempt. 

Hines led the squad with a four-goal performance along with three ground balls and a caused turnover. His 14 shots were the most by a member of the Blue and Gold in a game this season. Jacobs collected two goals, one assist, and five ground balls. In the net, Groezinger (0-3) stopped 14 shots, his second-highest single-game save total of the season. 

The Eagles return home after their five-game road trip for a matchup with Rollins on Saturday, March 25 at 1 p.m.