Lions win first of 2018 season with blowout versus Shorter

ROME, Ga. - The Mars Hill men's lacrosse team earned their first win of the season with a 17-6 drubbing of Shorter Saturday afternoon on the road. Dima Ferreira had six points in the contest.

Ferreira struck twice in the first quarter for his fifth and sixth goals of the season, both unassisted. The Lions would go up 4-0 entering the second with goals from Zac Carrigan and Parker Beaudry. Carrigan's tally was assisted by Alex Lipsky.

Mars Hill continued to add to their lead, scoring six goals in the second frame. Just over a minute and a half into the second and with the man advantage, Lipsky scored his first of two goals on the day to put the Lions up 5-0. The Lions would score the next four goals over a span of 7:16, led off by Beaudry's second on the afternoon and followed by Ferreira's hat-trick marker. Jake Trafton and Josh Bryers scored 26 seconds apart to put Mars Hill up 9-0 before Shorter's first goals of the frame. Scoring the final two goals of the half in the final 3:26, Jacob Woodard and Tate Tatum both scored with the man advantage to head into the half trailing 10-2.

Mars Hill repeated their first quarter performance, scoring four unanswered goals. Lipsky opened the scoring with his second of the contest with Ferreira picking up his second assist on the afternoon. Less than one minute after Lipsky's strike, Connor Fernandes got on the board with his lone goal on the afternoon, giving Mars Hill a 10-goal advantage. Trafton and Zach Wright closed out the scoring in the third to put Mars Hill up 14-2 heading into the fourth quarter.

Shorter outscored the Lions 4-3 in the final 15 minutes, but Mars Hill's double-digit lead held firm. Shorter's Logan Miller had four points in the fourth, scoring a hat-trick in the final 6:14 of the game and assisting on William Millwood's tally. Wright and Bryers scored their second goals of the afternoon and Spencer Andrews added a goal for the Mars Hill offense. 

Five Lions' players had two goals in the contest for a balanced offensive effort. Mars Hill had 45 shots compared to Shorter's 39 on the day.

Ryan Kearney picked up his first victory of the year, making 12 saves in 45 minutes of play. Garry Robinson, allowing nine goals in 24:33, is credited with the loss.

The Lions return to action on Saturday, March 3 when they travel to Young Harris, Georgia to take on Young Harris. First faceoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.