Huskies Explode for 10 First-Quarter Goals

            GORHAM, Maine -- The University of Southern Maine Huskies men's lacrosse team exploded for 10 goals in the opening quarter and went on to defeat the visiting Husson University Eagles 22-9 in a non-conference game Tuesday afternoon at Hannaford Field.

            The win improved the Huskies' overall record to 4-6 on the season.  The Eagles, playing their third game in four days, slip to 3-7 with their third straight loss.

            Junior Paul Leonardo (Groton, Mass./Groton-Dunstable) led the USM scoring parade with four goals and three assists for seven points.  Sophomore Tristan Dundas (Abbotsford, B.C.) had a game-high five goals.  Sophomore Bryce Randall (Portland, Maine/Deering) tallied four goals and an assist, rookie Steve Gilbert (Litchfield, Maine/Oak Hill) chipped in with three goals and two assists, and freshman Cam Thibault (Scarborough, Maine) scored once and dished off four assists.

            Gilbert had a good day at the center "X" winning 15 of 26 faceoffs and scooping up a game-high 12 ground balls.  Rookie Robby Pini (Natick, Mass.) had nine ground balls as USM piled up a 50-28 advantage in the battle for loose balls.

            Senior goalie Zach Bessette (Readfield, Maine/Maranacook) picked up the win making six saves over 51:30 of action.  Freshman Griffin Hanson (Dover, N.H.) played the final 8:30 without making a save.

            Sophomore Jacob Boothby (Kennebunk, Maine) and rookie Gunner McAllister (Albion, Maine/Lawrence) scored two goals apiece for the Eagles.  Boothby also had an assist to make for a three-point day.  Sophomore Blane Miller (Lewiston, Maine) and junior Zach Glazier (Winthrop, Maine) each had a goal and two assists.

            Junior Matt Martin (Litchfield, Maine/Oak Hill) started in goal for the Eagles making 14 saves before leaving the game with 8:30 to play.  Junior Zach Gosselin (Lewiston, Maine) came on to play the final 8:30 without making a save.

            Leonardo and Randall each scored a hat trick, and Dundas added two goals, as the Huskies dominated the first quarter to build a 10-2 lead.  Senior Sam Fortin (Brunswick, Maine) and Gilbert had the other two goals.  Fortin, Leonardo, Randall and Dundas scored within a span of 2:01 to give USM a 4-0 lead before the game was four minutes old.

            The Huskies had a 56-20 advantage in shots in the game and won 21 of 33 faceoffs.

            Southern Maine returns to Hannaford Field on Saturday (2 p.m.) to host Western Connecticut State University in a Little East Conference game.  Husson is on the road this Saturday (1 p.m.) for a North Atlantic Conference game at Johnson State College.

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