LANCASTER, Pa. - Dickinson first-year attackman Matt Thurston netted a team-high five goals, while junior keeper Chris Brandau made 18 saves as the ninth-ranked Dickinson men's lacrosse team won their fifth game versus a nationally-ranked opponent as the Red and White picked up a 13-11 win over the 10th-ranked Franklin & Marshall College at Shadek Stadium on Wednesday night.

Both teams let shots go inside the opening minute, neither side could find the net. Franklin & Marshall would be the first side to beat a keeper as Kai Kelly beat Chris Brandau off a feed from A.J. Rigsby. The Red and White responded however scoring the next two with Will Farrell and Sam Campbell cashing in unassisted. F&M had the next three shots with Rigsby forcing one stop out of Brandau. Owen Porter then buried the rock two times for a 4-1 advantage prompting an F&M timeout. The two sides split the next four goals with Griffin Moore and Farrell helping to give DC a 6-3 lead after one.

The Diplomats took advantage of their first man-up opportunity of the game as Matt Thurston was called for a push which led to a man-up marker for Kelly cutting the margin to 6-4. The next nine shot attempts between the two teams failed to hit the cage and did not force either netminder into a save attempt until Farrell was finally turned aside by Garito with 5:11 to play. The Red and White finally got their first goal of the period with 3:03 left as Thurston finished off a nice pass from Porter. However, two minutes later F&M answered back with Kelly completing his hat trick. Thurston wrapped up the scoring for the half with a beautiful finish from behind the cage for the 8-5 edge at half. 

Dickinson began the third quarter on fire as both Thurston and Skyler Schluter solved Garito to extend the lead to 10-5 with just over a minute off the clock. F&M tried to stop the DC roll, but Blake Target was denied by Brandau. However, Target got revenge three minutes later as he beat the goalie off the assist from Will DeMuth. The two sides over the next seven minutes combined for nine shots and nine turnovers, while causing each goalie to make two stops. The Diplomats added one more with seven seconds left to pull within 10-7 through 45-minutes.

F&M carried the momentum into the fourth as a Garito save on Thurston led to a goal by Will Mollihan to make it 10-8 at the 2:23 mark. Rigsby cashed in again for the home side, before Thurston stopped the 4-0 Diplomat run giving DC an 11-9 edge with 8:18 remaining. After another faceoff win by John McKee, Farrell tickled the twine in behind Garito. The Diplomats had the next three shots with Brandau denying both Spencer Hall and Kelly, before Rigsby finished off his hat trick pulling the hosts within 12-10. Dickinson made it 13-10 on Thurston's fifth, but F&M came right back with another marker for Kelly which set the 13-11 final.

Red Devil Leaders

Goals - Thurston (5), Farrell (3), Porter (2)

Assists - James Isaacson and Porter (2)

Groundballs - McKee (11), Capp Reynolds and Farrell (3)

Saves - Brandau (18)   

Diplomat Leaders

Goals - Kelly (4), Rigsby and Target (2)

Assists - Rigsby (3)

Groundballs - Rigsby (6), Kyle Craig (4)

Saves - Garito (11)

Up Next

Dickinson (12-0, 5-0 Centennial) returns to Biddle Field on Saturday afternoon to take on the Mules of Muhlenberg College at 12 p.m. It will also be Senior Day for the Red and White with the festivities beginning at 11:45 a.m.