Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Men's Lacrosse team remains perfect on the year following a lopsided 22-5 victory over Houghton College Saturday night.
Over the past two games the Purple & Gold have outscored their opponents 35-11, averaging 17.5 Goals Per game. They now are 2-0 on the young season.
It was a slow start for the Poets holding a slight 5-2 advantage after the 1st Quarter. The difference in the game came in the 2nd where Whittier outscored the Highlanders 10-0 that gave them a 15-2 lead at the break.
In the second half Houghton attempted a comeback with two in the 3rd but it wouldn't be enough as Whittier would put up another five across the final 15:00 minutes, which would secure the win.
Three of the first four goals of the game came from Chandler Badon (Portland, OR), Ronan Dooney (Portland, OR) and Nate Heritage (Bellingham, WA). Then to end the quarter Guss Simpson (Seattle, WA) and Cam Bentley (Murrieta, Calif.) would go back to back within a minute and a half of each other.
Thirty seconds into the 2nd Quarter the Poets got their sixth goal of the game from Bentley who completed a hat trick. Dooney joined him with his own hat trick in the stanza and Sergei Jacobs (Edmonds, WA), Josh Kelly (Aurora, CO), Badon, and Daniel Ball (Los Angeles, Calif.) each tacked on connections that put the game out of reach.
It was back and forth out of the break with Dooney and Heritage keeping the deficit at 13. Then in the 4th, four straight from Heritage, Mason Leet (Woodinville, WA), Jacob Berggren (Tualatin, Calif.), and Blaine Nelson (Newport Beach, Calif.) would put the finishing touches on an impressive home win.
Team Stats
For the game Whittier held the advantage on shots (61-15), Faceoff won (18-of-27), Clears (8-of-8), Groundballs (41-16), and shots on goal (42-9).
Leaders – Whittier College
Austin Mann (Santa Ana, Calif.) picked up his second win playing 32:00 minutes and finishing with three saves against five shots. Dooney led the offense with five goals and an assist. He also added two groundballs and a caused turnover. Bentley also had a breakout performance with a four goal, four assists effort. Heritage finished with a hat trick and Leet and Badon combined for four goals and an assist.
Cole Irie (Berkeley, Calif.) on faceoffs was tough going 13-of-20 with 10 groundballs. Riley Filler (West Hartford, CT) totaled three caused turnovers and Dylan Guth (Petaluma, Calif.) and Berggren each added two.
Whittier has a short turnaround as they host Dubuque University tomorrow, Monday, March 9 beginning at 7:00pm.
