ANDERSON, S.C. --- Anderson University defeated Tusculum University 29-11 in South Atlantic Conference men's lacrosse Tuesday night.
The Trojans (4-5, 2-1 SAC) fired 86 shots at the Pioneer goal, putting 58 of them on net. Tusculum goalkeeper Brenden Pecora had 29 saves in the match, the second-most in a single game in program history.
Radyn Badraun and Ryan Bitterman each scored five goals for the Trojans, who had an 86-35 shot advantage and a 68-30 edge in ground balls over the Pioneers (1-9, 0-5 SAC).
Wesley Phillips led the Pioneers with three goals and two assists, with two goals apiece from Ben Hobday and Chase Penner. William Nuzzo, Bryce Grimball, Devin Bowen and Nicholas Drennan also scored for the Pioneers, who went 2-for-4 with the extra man.
The teams combined for five goals in the first 3 1/2 minutes, with Hobday and Penner getting on the board for the Pioneers. Anderson would stretch its lead to 6-2 before Grimball scored with 1:42 left in the first quarter, but a goal from Logan Gaddis nine seconds later helped push the Trojans to a 7-3 lead after one.
Tusculum scored twice in less than a minute on goals from Penner and Nuzzo early in the second quarter, but Anderson went on a 6-0 run before a goal from Hobday late in the half brought the Pioneers within 18-6 at intermission.
Phillips would score the only goal of the third quarter for the Pioneers as Anderson carried a 23-7 lead into the fourth. Bowen connected for his first career goal early in the fourth quarter as his 60-yard heave from deep in the Tusculum end caught the Trojans off-guard. Phillips added two more goals in the fourth, one on the man advantage, and Drennan also scored for the Pioneers in the frame.
Bowen and Nolan Ross shared the team lead with four ground balls for the Pioneers, while Drake Vance had seven faceoff wins and Nathan Fraser added six. AJ Rush led the Trojans with eight ground balls and nine faceoff wins, while Aiden Dixon added nine faceoff wins and seven ground balls.
Hunter Klosterman and Joey Heckel split time in goal for the Trojans, with Klosterman making five saves in the first half and Heckel adding six in the second half. Anderson was 24-for-24 on clears and went 2-for-3 with the man advantage.
The Pioneers will return home to face Mars Hill on Saturday, March 23 beginning at 4 p.m. The Lions (2-6, 0-3 SAC) lost their fourth straight on Saturday with an 11-9 setback to Coker.
