Hopkins and Sarver with 4G Each to Lead PBA Men over Chowan 21-8
via PBA press release/website, by Simeon Strauss, Athletic Communications Assistant
King’s Academy Alum Brad Wharton and Jupiter Christian’s Keegan Southard with 2G each for PBA
Men’s Lacrosse Wins Big Against Chowan
MURFREESBORO, N.C.- The Palm Beach Atlantic men’s lacrosse team beat Chowan University by a score of 21-8 on Saturday afternoon. The Sailfish (2-0) are off to their best start in program history.
In the first quarter, the ‘Fish found themselves down early after Chowan scored two quick goals to give them a 2-0 lead. PBA then responded with 10 minutes remaining in the period after a goal by Keegan Southard, the sophomore from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. At the six and a half minute mark, Sarver Adams scored his first of four goals on the night and on the next play, Tyler Hopkins gave the Sailfish their first lead of the game on an assist by Ty Wright. The Hawks would then respond with a goal of their own but Hopkins and the freshman, Brad Wharton, scored a goal each to put them up 5-3. In the final minutes of the period, Adam’s and Southard would each score a goal to give PBA a 7-4 lead over Chowan heading into the second.
It took nine minutes into the second quarter to see another goal but thankfully, PBA was the first to do it. That was thanks to a good find by Bryce Downs which allowed Austin Airey to get his first goal as a Sailfish. Shortly after, Hopkins would score back-to-back goals on assists from Wharton and Southard. In the final seconds before the halftime break, Hopkins did some facilitating with an amazing find to the sophomore, Dominic Barnshaw, for his third goal of the season.
Coming out of the halftime break, the Sailfish were up 11-5 and were nowhere close to being done racking up the goals. PBA would go on a 3-0 run on goals by Adams, Henry Sloyan, and Cooper Porter. The Hawks managed to stop the run with a goal of their own but the ‘Fish responded back after Hunter Lizza found Giovanni Lubrano for PBA’s 15th goal of the night. Sloyan was then able to score his second goal and put the Sailfish up 10 goals with less than a minute remaining in the quarter.
Chowan opened up the fourth hoping to gain some momentum after a quick goal within the first couple minutes. Lubrano would then rack up two quick assists after goals by Lizza and Adams to put PBA up 11. Wharton and Barnshaw would also score two more goals for the ‘Fish and Porter would score the final goal of the game on an assist by Wharton to give the Sailfish a 21-7 lead.
Brendan Pedisich was the starting goalie for the game and recorded five saves in three quarters. In the fourth, Ben Lightsey would replace Pedisich in the net and recorded six saves in only one quarter of play. Hunter Sheffield, Cole Gehman, and Aaron Miechiels also contributed on the defensive end by causing two turnovers each. Sheffield also tallied on three ground balls to his stat sheet.
The Sailfish will have a week break before they head to Naples, Fla. to compete against Farmingdale State College on Saturday Feb. 24. It will be their first matchup ever against the Ram’s.