Mars Hill loses 2018 season opener to Mount Olive

MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill men's lacrosse team opened their 2018 season with a 15-4 loss to Mount Olive Saturday afternoon at the Ammons Family Athletic Center and Meares Stadium. Parker Beaudry led the Lions with two goals.

The Trojans jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the end of the first quarter. Jacob Ball scored the first two goals of the game. His first strike came just under three minutes in and his second found the back of the net with 5:26 remaining in the quarter. Austin Robinson added to the lead with 2:02 left in the opening frame. Mars Hill goalkeeper Ryan Kearney made four saves.

Thatcher Clark and Scott Dagnanleach extended the lead to 5-0 with quick tallies in the opening 3:02 of the second quarter. The Lions found their way on the scoreboard from the stick of Beaudry, scoring the first Lion goal of the young season with 1:53 left in the half. Tremain Hill picked up the assist. 

The Lions trailed 5-1 entering halftime. Mount Olive was outshooting Mars Hill 25-10 and won 6-of-8 faceoffs to establish their offense.

Entering the third quarter, the Trojans offense exploded for five goals, including the first four of the stanza. Dagnanleach picked up his second of the day 3:01 into the third, followed by Clark's second 1:23 later. Tim Collins and Austin Whitlow joined the fray with goals 35 second apart to go up 9-1 before a goal from Alex Lipsky ended the scoring streak. With four seconds left in the third, Whitlow's second of the quarter pushed Mount Olive into double-digits, carrying a 10-2 lead into the fourth quarter.

Thirty-two seconds into the quarter, Gunner Parson extended the Trojans' lead to nine goals. Just over two minutes later, Ball's hat-trick goal and seventh point of the contest provided a 10-goal lead with 12:24 left to play. Beaudry's second of the day was sandwiched between a six-goal stretch for the Trojans with 9:43 remaining. Connor Watson delivered the next goal for Mount Olive to reestablish the 10-goal lead and was followed by Clark's third of the day. A man-up with 34 seconds left to play, Jake Trafton gave the Lions their fourth goal, but was answered by Nick Petersen with two tics left on the clock.

Mount Olive outshot the Mars Hill 56-18 and won 18-of-23 faceoffs. The Trojans also collected 36 groundballs to the Lions' 16.

Kearney was credited with the loss, making 24 saves and allowing 15 goals. Will Urban picked up the victory, stopping five shots on the afternoon.

The Lions return to action on Saturday, February 17 when they head to Savannah, Georgia to take on Lynn. The tilt is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.