TOWSON, Md. – The Saint Joseph's men's lacrosse team went on the road and grabbed its opening win on the road in its first opportunity against Towson on Saturday afternoon. The  Hawks used a 7-4 advantage in the second half to remain undefeated.
 
#17 St. Joe's is 2-0 on the year, Towson falling to 1-1 on the season.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• It took just nine seconds for the Hawks to get on the board on the afternoon. Zach Cole worked his magic on the opening faceoff before taking it all the way down the field and firing to the top left corner past the Towson goalkeeper to get on the board.
• Moments later, Ryan Doran doubled up the scoring after his shot crawled over the line after deflecting off the Towson goalkeeper.
• The Tigers would score three goals in the span of under three minutes before Tucker Brown tied the scoring back up with a spin and strike from range.
• Cole grabbed his second goal of the quarter off the ensuing faceoff, one again racing down the field after the win before unleashing a strike into the netting.
• Towson would tie the game at 4-4 before the Hawks scored three-straight to close out the quarter. Trae Ika scored his first goal in just his second appearance on a man-up opportunity to give the Hawks a 7-4 lead.
• An early goal in the second quarter pushed the advantage to as many as four, but the Towson squad would score five of the next six goals to tie the game up at 9-9 headed into the break.
• The Tigers opened the third with a goal, but Levi Anderson's second goal of the game leveled the score before two-straight goals, including a launch from the other side of the half, from Carter Page extended the advantage back to 12-10.
• With the hosts grabbing one back, William King tallied his third goal of the game to give the Hawks a two-goal cushion at the end of the third.
• Three minutes into the fourth, the Hawks regained a three-goal lead at 14-11 behind the stick of Stephen Dwyer.
• Two goals from the Tigers in the span of 17 seconds midway through the final frame again cut the advantage to one for SJU. Tucker Brown's third of the game and Anderson's hat trick only a minute later pushed the lead back to 16-13 before the Hawks were able to run out the final 4:30 of the fourth for its second-straight win.

 
GAME NOTES

• Levi Anderson has recorded three-straight hat tricks dating back to last season, seven-straight games with multiple goals.
• Zach Cole's two goals was the first time since his rookie season that he recorded more than one goal in a game, the face off specialist and 2023 Preseason Tewaaraton Award Watch List honoree with 15 career goals. Cole was 20-32 from the X with 15 ground balls.
• Tucker Brown led the way with four points, also adding a hat trick as well as a lone assist.
• Mac McLaughlin and Carter Page also pitched in two goals on the day, nine combined goal scorers tallying the 16 goals.
• Patrick Clemens paced the Hawks, forcing two caused turnovers on the afternoon,.
• Scott Macmillan split duties with Robbie Seeley for the second time this season, notching the win after a five save performance in the second half.
• SJU outshot Towson 41-37 on the day, a 26-20 margin in shots on goal. The Crimson and Gray finished 2-3 in man up opportunities.

 
UP NEXT

• The Hawks return home on February 25, hosting Providence on Sweeney Field in a 12 p.m. matchup.