ANNVILLE, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley men's lacrosse team scored three goals in each of the first two quarters and used a strong defensive effort to win its first game of the year with an 8-2 victory over Hood College on Saturday afternoon at Arnold Field.
 
The Dutchmen (1-1) needed Kellen Markley to make a couple of saves in the first couple of minutes before Dylan Rinyak fired a shot into the back of the net. Rinyak's second goal of the year put LVC ahead two minutes into the game. Hood answered right back as they scored to even the score up at one. The teams battled up and down the field for the next 10 minutes with neither team able to score. Ethan Keenan had a pair of shots saved for the Dutchmen, while Markley made three saves at the other end of the field. LVC took the lead for good with just under three minutes to go as Sheadan Makosy picked up a ground ball on a failed clear attempt and got the ball to Ryan Grace. Grace then worked his way to the goal, firing a shot past the keeper for his third goal of the year. Grace then found Rowan Myers over the middle in the final minute as Myers gave the Dutchmen a 3-1 lead with his third goal of the season.
 
LVC came out and forced five turnovers on Hood's first five possessions of the second quarter. Rinyak and Grace put shots wide, and Sean Poole had a shot saved before Myers hit the post. The Dutchmen increased the advantage to 4-1 with 8:42 left in the half as Brayden Brown scored his second career goal. Ethan Keenan pushed the advantage to four 90 seconds later as he scored his second goal of the year off an assist by Hayden Carling. LVC kept the pressure on with Keenan and Carling having shots saved. The Dutchmen took a 6-1 halftime lead after Montgomery Sensenig picked up a ground ball and found Poole in transition for the senior's first goal of the year.
 
The third quarter was a defensive battle with just one goal scored between the two teams. The Dutchmen had shots by Jacob Mrose, Sam Spagnuolo, and Brown go wide early in the quarter. Markley made a pair of saves on the defensive end in the first half of the quarter before the Dutchmen were called for a pair of two penalties over a span of three minutes. LVC forced an early turnover during the first penalty kill and was able to hold the ball until they got back to full strength. Hood capitalized on the second penalty, scoring 25 seconds into the man-advantage to cut the deficit to 6-2. Spagnuolo had a shot saved in the final minute as LVC took a four-goal advantage into the final quarter.
 
The Dutchmen came out firing to begin the fourth as Sensenig picked up the ground ball off the faceoff win by Connor Rowe and then sent a shot wide. Carling had a shot saved after LVC got the ball back. Hood called a timeout with just under 11 minutes to play and came out of the short break with a shot blocked and then the rebound attempt saved by Markley in goal. LVC outshot the Blazers 7-0 over the next three minutes as Grace, Poole, and Myers put shots on goal before Grace picked up a ground ball off the rebound of Myers' shot and put it back in for his second goal of the game. The Dutchmen maintained possession for much of the final seven minutes of the game, and Carling scored in the final minute to set the final.
 
Inside the Box

• Grace recorded his second consecutive multi-goal game as he finished with three points on two goals and one assist. The sophomore took seven shots and picked up two ground balls.
• Carling had a multi-point game, recording one goal and one assist while taking five shots. The senior recorded his 50th career point on the assist in the second quarter.
• Myers led the team with seven shots and put three on goal. He scored his 26th career goal, which was the game-winner.
• Keenan, Rinyak, and Poole all had one goal on three shots. Rinyak scored the fifth goal of his career while Poole scored his 25th. Brown added his second career goal on two shots.
• Sensenig posted the second assist of his career and had five ground balls.
• Markley made 13 saves in goal with a team-high seven ground balls and one caused turnover.
• Rowe won five faceoffs, picked up four ground balls, and caused one turnover.

Up Next
The Dutchmen will be on the road for the first time this year on Wednesday, Feb. 25, with a short trip to Reading to face Albright College. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. against the Lions at Shirk Stadium.

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