ANNVILLE, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley men's lacrosse team began the season with a hard-fought 17-7 defeat to Franklin & Marshall College on Saturday afternoon at Arnold Field in Annville.
 
The Dutchmen started the game strong against the high-powered Diplomats as Connor Rowe won the first faceoff of the game, and Rowan Myers scored just before the possession clock expired. The Diplomats were able to even the score two minutes later. LVC struck right back as Dylan Rinyak found the back of the net. Rowe won his fourth consecutive faceoff to begin his collegiate career and picked up his first ground ball. Ryan Grace had a quick shot saved before LVC had its first extra-man opportunity of the season.
 
Brayden Brown had a shot saved, and the Diplomats were able to hold onto the ball for a successful penalty kill. F&M scored five consecutive goals over a stretch of eight minutes to take a 6-2 lead. Rowe was excellent on faceoffs during the run, winning four of the five. Grace and Brown had shots saved that gave the Diplomats the ball.
 
Franklin & Marshall began the second quarter on an extra-man opportunity and scored to take a 7-2 advantage. Hayden Carling stopped the scoring run by the Diplomats with his first goal of the year off a pass from Brown with 10 minutes to play in the half. The Diplomats responded with three goals over the next five minutes to increase their advantage. The Dutchmen fought valiantly over the final five minutes of the half as Grace and Carling had shots saved while Jacob Mrose sent a shot wide.
 
Grace found the back of the net for the first time as a Dutchman early in the second half as Carling found the sophomore open to cut the lead to six. The Diplomats answered with a goal a couple of minutes later. Myers, Brown, and Ethan Kennan had shots saved over the next six minutes. Carling assisted on another Grace goal to bring the score to 11-5 with just over three minutes to play in the quarter. F&M scored twice in the final minute to push the advantage to eight heading into the fourth.
 
The Diplomats scored three times over the first 10 minutes of the final quarter. Myers had a shot blocked, and the Dutchmen put three shots wide. Myers had a shot saved out of a timeout with 6:45 left. The Dutchmen scored twice in the quarter as Brown scored his first career goal off the first career assist by Wyatt Shamer, and Myers added a goal with 2:38 remaining. The Diplomats scored right before time expired to set the final score.
 
Inside the Box

• Carling led the Dutchmen with three points on one goal and two assists. He now has 49 career points. The senior took three shots and put two on goal.
• Grace and Myers scored two goals each. Myers scored the 25th goal of his career on five shots. Grace scored the second and third goals of his collegiate career on six shots.
• Brown recorded his first career points on a goal and an assist. He took a team-high seven shots and put five on goal. Brown also picked up three ground balls.
• Rinyak came back from missing last year due to injury and scored the fifth goal of his career.
• Rowe was great in the faceoff circle, winning nine of 18 attempts. He also picked up two ground balls.
• Kellen Markley made 15 saves in the net and had three ground balls.
• The Dutchmen were 18-for-22 on clear attempts.

Up Next
LVC will have a week off before returning to action next Saturday, Feb. 21, with a home game against Hood College. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Arnold Field against the Blazers.

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