GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University men's lacrosse team will look to snap a two-game losing streak when the Pioneers host Lees-McRae College on Sunday at 5 p.m. at Pioneer Field. The match was originally scheduled for Saturday in Banner Elk, North Carolina but was relocated to Pioneer Field due to field conditions.
The Pioneers (1-2) lost 18-7 to number-one Limestone last Friday in Gaffney, South Carolina, then fell 8-4 to Maryville (Missouri) in the home opener Monday afternoon at Pioneer Field.
RECAPPING THE WEEK
Tusculum hung with the top-ranked team in the country for three quarters before the Saints pulled away with six unanswered goals in the fourth quarter. Lorenz Brown and Josh Pickford each scored two goals for the Pioneers, while Liam MacDonald had three assists and a team-high seven ground balls. Quinn McKitrick had four ground balls, and also tied the program single-game record with five caused turnovers. Ross Geiger finished with nine saves in goal for the Pioneers, who went 2-for-4 with the man advantage in the game.
On Monday, the Pioneers hosted Maryville in the home opener and fell 8-4. Macdonald and Luke Doehring each finished with a goal and an assist for the Pioneers, who were led in ground balls by Braden Elam and Connor Coleman with six ground balls apiece. Maryville was 3-for-6 with the man advantage and outshot Tusculum 34-26 in the victory.
LOOKING AHEAD
Lees-McRae opened the week with an 0-4 record this season, with all four games on the road. The Bobcats opened the year with a 20-7 loss at Coker, then fell 25-11 at Limestone on Feb. 7. Last week, the Bobcats fell 20-13 at Mars Hill and 18-8 at Lander.
The Bobcats, who finished 4-10 last season and 0-7 in Conference Carolinas, are led by Jackson Galloway with 16 goals and eight assists in four matches, including three man-up goals. Ryan Beauchamp has added 12 goals and a team-high 26 ground balls, while Mike Moore has five goals and six assists for 11 points, along with 14 ground balls. Jack Cruz and Josh Csanyi have split time in goal, with Cruz making 36 saves and Csanyi 17 stops.
The Pioneers are 2-0 all-time against Lees-McRae, beating the Bobcats 23-6 in the first home game in program history on Feb. 19, 2014 and winning 23-8 last season.
LEADER BOARD
AJ Hems leads the Pioneers with six goals in three games, while Jordan Daniel and Macdonald each have two goals and four assists to share the team lead with Hems at six points. Elam leads the Pioneers with 10 ground balls and ranks 12th in the conference among non-faceoff men, while McKitrick is tied for third with seven caused turnovers. As a team, the Pioneers are fifth in the SAC in man-up offense at 30 percent (3-for-10).
FOLLOW THE GAMES
Links to live stats and video for Tusculum University athletic events can be found through tusculumpioneers.com.
