OWINGS MILLS, Md. – The fourth-ranked Dickinson men's lacrosse team went into Friday's game against the fifth-ranked Christopher Newport University hoping to avenge a pair of one-goal defeats suffered at the hands of the Captains last season, including a 12-11 overtime loss in the NCAA Quarterfinals. Unfortunately, for the Red and White they would not find it on this day as CNU opened up a 6-4 halftime edge with an eight-goal third quarter to claim a 17-9 non-conference victory on Day One of the Mustang Classic at Stevenson University.

Both teams came out firing to begin the game as Skyler Schluter and Matt Thurston missed wide for the Devils, while Coby Auslander, Alex Brendes and Andrew Cook were off the mark for CNU. However, it would be the Red and White who opened the scoring with 4:09 gone when Evan Karetsos found Owen Porter for the finish past Zac Hanway. After Daniel Siaton knotted the game at 1-1, DC had an answer just a couple of minutes later with Sam Campbell burying the rock unassisted. Following a stop by Patrick Scarborough on Kevin Miller, brother Drew Miller found his brother for the response, before Brendes gave the Captains their first lead at 3-2 with just under three minutes left. Each team would record two more shots in the period with Charlie Baughan and Campbell having a go for the Devils, but no one could best a keeper.

An early turnover each way led to no shots through the first minute plus, until Robby Adams got free for a look and beat Scarborough to open the lead to 4-2. It would take the Red and White just about five minutes to notch their first shot of the frame as Colin Williams went wide and Thurston was denied by Hanway. Unfortunately, that allowed CNU to go back down the field and cash in once again through Brendes. The Captains defense continued to put on a clinic against the usually "high-flying" Devils attack letting up just one shot during the ensuing five minutes when Thurston slipped one off-target with 4:27 to go. Coming off a CNU timeout on the defensive side of the ball DC recorded chances from James Isaacson and Thurston (2), resulting in one more stop by Hanway. Once again a stop for the goalie would lead to an opportunity going the other where Cook stashed the ball in the net extending the DC hole to 6-2. Dickinson finally picked up another goal with 14:40 gone when Sascha Gannon collected an unassisted marker, before John McKee won the ensuing faceoff to Will McDonald who got the ball ahead to Schluter who then found Thurston to trim it down to 6-4 going to halftime.

Coming right out of the break Warren Cabaniss won the faceoff and hit Brendes for the goal to stop the DC push making it 7-4. It would then be the Devils turn to capitalize off the momentum generated by a save as Scarborough denied Ryan Young, resulting in Thurston finding the back of the cage, but Brendes (2), Cook and Miller answered for CNU to make it 11-5 with 6:54 gone. Dickinson finally got back on the board with 7:27 left as Schluter found Campbell for a rocket. Following a 30-second penalty against Thurston, Cook had the Captains doubling up the Red and White at 12-6 with a little less than three minutes remaining. That was immediately added onto by Cook and Miller to give the CNU a 14-6 edge through three.

Dickinson began the fourth quarter how they would need to in an attempt to mount a dramatic comeback with a turnover caused by Jack Deady leading to Gannon bagging his second on the day. Unfortunately, it would be the Captains who picked up the next marker thanks to Brett Jackson. The Devils continued to push as Will Single and Porter struck within ten seconds of each other to close within 15-9 still with almost nine minutes to play. However, once again every time that DC attempted to close the gap CNU had an answer as this time Carson Hoffman and Cook hit the net to blow things out to the final tally of 17-9.      

Red Devil Leaders
Goals – Campbell, Gannon, Porter and Thurston (2)
Assists – Schluter (3)
Groundballs – McKee (6), Xander Usich and Karetsos (3)
Faceoffs – McKee (12-25), Ben Trucksess (0-4)
Saves – Scarborough (11)

Captain Leaders
Goals – Brendes and Cook (5)
Assists – Miller (5)
Groundballs – Cabaniss (7), Young (4)
Faceoffs – Cabaniss (14-21), Brost (3-8)
Saves – Hanway (8)

Next on the Turf
Dickinson (5-1) will look to get back to their winning ways tomorrow morning at 11am against the 11th-ranked York College of Pennsylvania Spartans on Day Two of the Mustang Classic.
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