Grantham, PA – The thunderstorms stayed away and Messiah men's lacrosse took advantage with a convincing and lopsided 20-6 win over Adrian. Dylan Gillisse and Matthew Franken each scored three times for Messiah, and five other Falcons scored twice in the decision.
 
Fast Start and Big Lead
For the first time this season Messiah took a lead into the halftime lead, and it was a big lead at that. The Falcons scored twice in the first 2:07 alone, and it was 6-0 Falcons midway through the first quarter. The fast start was supported by a 9-2 edge in face-offs in the frame, and three Falcons—Dylan Gillisse, Liam Lilienthal, and Justin Bradley—all scored multiple goals in the first 15:00.
 
At the half Messiah led 14-1 and they held a 35-2 edge in shots. Messiah also earned 13 of 17 face-offs before the break as they went on to collect nearly twice as many face-off wins (20) than their previous two games combined (11).  
 
Bulldog Burnout
Adrian did not attempt a shot until the 54-second mark of the first quarter. That cold spell was due in large part to the Falcons' aggressive defense and imposing hold on territory. As a result, the Bulldogs spent seemingly every second of the opening quarter on their heels, and Messiah took advantage with 19-0 run in shots to start the game.
 
Valuable Experience
The Falcons set a season-high with 32 players appearing in the game. That's a meaningful note despite this being just the third game for Messiah, as it no doubt gives valuable time on the field to players who have not yet played consistent minutes. The majority-reserve lineup in the final two quarters outscored the Bulldogs 6-5.
 
Lorenzo DiPasquale (2), Garrett Amsbaugh (2), Steven Dunn, Brandon Witmer, and Cory Hurst also combined to score seven goals off the bench for Messiah.
 
BigBulldog
One of the few bright spots for Adrian was Griffin Davison as he had a hand in five of the Bulldogs' six goals; Davison tallied four goals—on just seven shots—and also dished out an assist.
 
Up Next
The Falcons will next play on Wednesday, Mar. 8 when they travel to take on Goucher College in Baltimore, Md., at 7:00 p.m. That will be the first of two-straight road games that includes a contest with Christopher Newport on Saturday, Mar. 11.