MARCH 16, 2018

KING'S MEN'S LACROSSE LEADS FROM START TO FINISH IN 11-3 VICTORY OVER LEB-VAL

WILKES-BARRE -- The King's College men's lacrosse team put together its most complete effort of the season as the Monarchs posted an 11-3 victory over visiting Lebanon Valley College Friday night at McCarthy Stadium.

With the win, King's improved to 2-3 while Lebanon Valley slipped to 4-3. The Monarchs also snapped a two-year losing streak to Lebanon Valley, including, ironically, an 11-3 defeat a year ago in Annville.

King's struck quickly as Brian Steiger converted a pass from Shawn Dickey into a 1-0 Monarch lead just 1:01 into the game. Dickey then followed with an unassisted goal with 8:58 left in the first quarter. Steiger then tallied his second goal thanks to a feed from Ryan Matusiewicz just 1:52 later to open up a 3-0 lead. 

After a Lebanon Valley goal, Dickey scored is second goal of the period with just 0:06 on the clock to give the Monarchs a 4-1 lead after one quarter.

In the second period it was more of the same as King's Omar Nijmeh scored back-to-back goals 0:42 into the quarter and with 10:22 to play in the half as the Monarchs took a 6-1 lead into the halftime break.

In the third quarter Lebanon Valley looked to answer and scored twice to cut the score to 6-3 with 6:50 remaining in the frame. But Brett O'Neill scored twice off Brick Johnson assists, sandwiched around Dickey's third goal of the game and an unassisted score by Holden Schooley to push the King's lead to 10-3 heading into the fourth quarter. 

O'Neill added his third goal of the half with 6:21 to play off an assist from Nijmeh.

Dickey finished with three goals and one assist while O'Neill tallied three goals. Nijmeh added two goals and one assist while Steiger also scored twice. Matt Basile was outstanding in net for King's, posting 13 saves in the game.

Overall, King's outshot Lebanon Valley 32-31 and held a 28-24 advantage in ground balls. 

The Monarchs essentially won the game in the face-off circle, as Sean Foley  won 13-of-18 attempts in the game, including a game-high nine ground balls.

Mason Hoff scored all three goals for Lebanon Valley.

King's returns to the field Wednesday with a 4:00 PM home matchup against Morrisville State.