BOSTON, Mass. – Junior Roger Evans (Oxford, Pa.) scored three goals and classmate Michael Utz (Rochester, N.Y.) scored a pair of goals and assisted on three others to help the Gordon College men's lacrosse tam take a 12-9 win over Wentworth Institute of Technology in the Commonwealth Coast Conference opener for both squads.
With the win the Fighting Scots improve to 4-5 overall (1-0 CCC) while the Leopards fall to 3-2 (0-1).
Gordon struck first a minute into the action when Evans scored an unassisted goal. Wentworth responded with three straight goals from three separate scorers to lead 3-1 with 4:26 remaining. Back-to-back goals by Gordon followed to tie the score at three after one.
Junior Alec Paradis (Pelham, N.H.) put the Leopards back up nine seconds into the second quarter with senior Ryan Coakley (Flemington, N.J.) earning his eighth assist of the season. Gordon finished the second quarter like the first with back-to-back goals, this time with senior Jordan Heckelmann (Colorado Springs, Colo.) netting both to put the Fighting Scots up 5-4 going into halftime.
Evans and Michael Utz both scored a pair of goals as part of a four-goal third quarter for the Fighting Scots, who led 9-6 after three. Paradis and Junior Nick Parent (Windham, N.H.) and Paradis would each tally for the Leopards.
After senior Michael Cushera (Waltham, Mass.) scored to put Wentworth within two, Gordon strung together three straight goals to lead 12-7. Coakley and Paradis scored to get back within three with 3:49 remaining, but Gordon held off the Leopards rush to capture the game 12-9.
In addition to Evans and Michael Utz, junior Jake Martin (Watertown, Conn.) had a goal and an assist, Hecklemann had a pair of goals, and junior Ryan Utz (Rochester, N.Y.) had a goal and an assist. At the X, junior Peter Kovacevic (Pittsburgh, Pa.) won 16-of-21 and scooped up 15 ground balls.
Paradis led all scorers with four goals while Coakley had two goals and an assist. Paradis also scooped up seven ground balls, as did junior James Caldwell (New Milford, Conn.) who also caused three turnovers.
Junior Cody Greenwald (Albany, N.Y.) made 15 saves for Gordon, while freshman Adam Dufault (Lexington, Mass.) made 12 stops for Wentworth. The Fighting Scots had advantages in shots (44-34) and ground balls (47-39) on the afternoon.
Gordon hosts Salve Regina on Wednesday while Wentworth hosts UMass Dartmouth on Monday.
