RIT Silences York on Opening Day of Mustang Classic
RIT muted one of the most potent offenses in Division III men’s lacrosse Friday, blanking York in the fourth quarter and riding a four-goal performance by Shawn Nally to a 10-6 victory in the Mustang Classic at Stevenson.
The fourth-ranked Tigers (5-0) trailed 3-1 after the first quarter but limited the fifth-ranked Spartans (6-1), who came in averaging more than 12 goals per game, to just three goals over the final three quarters. Nally keyed a four-goal run in the second quarter to give RIT a lead it would not relinquish.
York did not go quietly, tying the game at 5 on Dylan Wolf’s unassisted tally with 3:52 remaining in the third quarter. But the Tigers responded with three straight goals in a span of 1:22, including two scored just seven seconds apart, to go ahead for good.
RIT led in most statistical categories, none more apparent than its 39-17 advantage in ground balls. The game was a rematch of last year’s NCAA quarterfinal, also won by the Tigers.
Earlier in the day, No. 2 Amherst throttled No. 15 Franklin & Marshall 17-9. Evan Wolf scored seven goals and Jon Coffey added four goals and two assists for the Buffaloes, who improved to 4-0. The Diplomats fell to 4-2, largely due to a 22-save performance by Amherst goalie Chad Simons.
No. 8 Wesleyan doubled up Middlebury 12-6, and No. 9 Dickinson used a dominant second quarter to dispatch No. 12 Denison 14-9.
No. 19 Stevenson hosted No. 17 Lynchburg in the nightcap.
All 10 teams return to action Saturday in Owings Mills, Md.
MUSTANG CLASSIC
Owings Mills, Md. (all times Eastern)
Friday
No. 2 Amherst 17, No. 15 Franklin & Marshall 9
No. 4 RIT 10, No. 5 York 6
No. 8 Wesleyan 12, Middlebury 6
No. 9 Dickinson 14, No. 12 Denison 9
No. 17 Lynchburg vs. No. 19 Stevenson – 8:30 p.m.
Saturday
Middlebury vs. No. 9 Dickinson – 11:30 a.m.
No. 12 Denison vs. No. 15 Franklin & Marshall – 1:45 p.m.
No. 2 Amherst vs. No. 4 RIT – 4 p.m.
No. 8 Wesleyan vs. No. 17 Lynchburg – 6:15 p.m.
No. 19 Stevenson vs. No. 5 York – 8:30 p.m.