via Lynn press release   Savannah, Ga. – Lynn University’s lacrosse team came firing out of the gates on Saturday in the squad’s 2018 season opener, netting three quick goals before building a 10-1 lead heading into halftime. Mars Hill University started to inch back late in the game, but the Fighting Knights held on for a 14-7 nonconference victory. Freshman Xander Cosenza buried four goals while Lynn’s faceoff duo dominated all day at the X. INSIDE THE MATCHUP: Final: Lynn 14, Mars Hill 7 Records: Lynn (1-0), Mars Hill (0-2) Location: Daffin Park | Savannah, Ga. All-Time Series: First-ever meeting Get Social: Twitter – @Lynn_Knights | Instagram – @Lynn_Knights | Facebook – /LynnFightingKnights STATS OF THE GAME:

• Lynn scored three quick goals in the opening five minutes, putting the Mars Hill defense on notice, before opening up a 7-0 lead. The Fighting Knights took a 10-1 advantage into the halftime break.
• Mikey Urso scored the first goal of the new season less than two minutes into the game. The 2017 All-Sunshine State Conference First Team selection finished with a team-high six points, logging two goals and four assists.
• Keegan Maxwell utilized the first shot attempt of his collegiate career to net an absolute beauty of a behind-the-back score for Lynn’s second strike of the day.
• Harrison Kaplan, Nick Howard, Dryden Brous and Stephen Polsinelli all strung together unassisted goals to further Lynn’s early lead.
• Consenza then made it 7-0 with his first of the day on a man-up strike assisted by Urso.
• Conrad Rhein netted his first of the season before Polsinelli and Urso each got their second of the game prior to the halftime buzzer.
• The Fighting Knights would end up getting outscored in the second half, 6-4. Rhein knocked in another while Cosenza shouldered the rest of the load.
• Cosenza finished with four goals on nine attempts with two ground balls.
• Tyler Hopkins, Nick McCabe, Chase Stokes and Howard all recorded assists.
• Lynn’s wrecking crew of Brous and Christopher Lasprogata absolutely dominated the faceoff battle, winning 22-of-23, including 22 straight after the opening draw. Brous went 14-of-14 with a career-high 12 ground balls while Lasprogata secured 9-of-10 with 8 GBs.
• Greg Morissette tallied two caused turnovers, while Cody Bartusiak and McCabe each recorded one.
• Collin McClelland earned the start and the win between the cage, making three stops in the first half. Connor Owens logged five saves through the majority of the second half, before Mitchell Goode closed out the fourth quarter and made a stop.
• Lynn outshot Mars Hills, 50-25, and picked up 57 ground balls compared to 23 for MHU.

    BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• Cosenza is just the second true freshman in program history to score four or more goals in a game, joining Brian Kiel (’17) from the team’s inaugural season in 2014. Cosenza is the first to ever do it in his collegiate debut.
• Three of Consenza’s four goals on the day came in man-up situations.
• Brous won 100% of his faceoff attempts for the first time in his young career.
• There has only ever been one occasion where a Fighting Knight recorded more ground balls then Brous’ 12 today (Christopher D’Angelo – 15).
• Lynn has won its season opener four consecutive years.
• Urso now has four career games at Lynn with six or more points. His career-high is seven.
• 13 players made their Blue and White debut in today’s game as nearly all of the active roster saw the field.

  UP NEXT: Lynn heads back on the road north next week for a huge matchup, traveling to nationally-ranked Limestone College on Saturday, Feb. 24 for a 12 p.m. clash.