via ERAU press release, website, photo by Tavana Mercado

BOX SCORE

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The gates to the Embry-Riddle Lacrosse Field reopened on Sunday for Embry-Riddle men’s lacrosse’s home-opening game against RV Anderson. The Eagles (1-2) battled the Trojans (3-0) tough, coming within a single goal with just under six minutes remaining, but Embry-Riddle faded at the end and lost 15-10. 

It was only the second meeting between the two programs, the first of which was in 2022. Anderson also won that game, 10-4.

Faceoffs and penalties had the most glaring discrepancies in terms of team stats. The Eagles only claimed 9 of the 29 faceoffs and received six more penalties than Anderson, which totaled an extra four minutes inside the penalty box. On a positive note, ERAU was successful at disrupting the Trojan attack as the Eagles tied the program’s single-game caused turnover record with 14 led by Kurt Pelchen’s three.

Temperatures in the low 60s combined with wind reaching up to 35 miles per hour and rain made for difficult playing conditions. Unfortunately for Embry-Riddle, the game looked as bleak as the sky early on as the Eagles were in a 4-1 hole at the end of the first quarter. Coleman Jacobs did have an impressive goal, though. After ERAU turned the ball over in the offensive end, Isaiah Hines knocked the ball loose from a Trojan. Jacobs scooped up the ball and had open space between him and the net. Rushing toward the crease, Jacobs fired a shot through the bottom right corner to get the Eagles on the board. 

Embry-Riddle woke up offensively in the second period when Ryan Manning caught a pass at midfield and traveled all the way to the opposing net for a goal one minute into the quarter. Just over two minutes later, Pete Abbes rifled a shot home on the left side to bring the Eagles within one. 

Anderson pulled back ahead by two, but ERAU managed to tie the contest at 5-5. With 9:11 left, Hines squeezed a shot into the top right corner against his former team. Not even a minute later, Abbes charged in on the right side, spun, and sent a shot through in the exact same location for the tying score.

However, the Trojans went on a 5-1 run from that point until the game was eight minutes into the third period to make the score 10-6. The Eagles battled back, though. Hines set his feet and fired away from the middle of the field, pushing the ball past the Anderson goalie on the right side with 5:59 to go. With time winding down in the period, Christian Hofer earned his first score after he curled around from behind the net on the right side and snuck a shot into the back of the net with 34 seconds before the end of the quarter. 

A Trojan goal at 3:04 into the final period moved the deficit back to three, but the Eagle defense stood tall and prevented any more goals over the next seven-and-a-half minutes. This allowed ERAU to bring the gap down to one when Joe Anderson and Gavin Madden connected twice for a score. 

The Eagles were unable to even the score, however, and let Anderson escape an upset 15-10.

Six Eagles scored in the contest. Four recorded multiple goals, including Hines, Jacobs, Madden and Abbes. Anderson led in the assist column with two while Manning had a team-high seven ground balls. In the crease, Reid Kerr (1-1) received the loss after allowing eight goals with three saves. Carter Groezinger took over after halftime and earned seven saves with seven goals allowed.

Also of note, Giacomo Comuzzi and Kerr both earned their first collegiate starts. 

This was the Eagles’ only home non-conference game of the season. The Blue and Gold return to the road for the next five contests, beginning with a trip to Montevallo on Friday, Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. eastern, 7 p.m. central.