Defense Persists as Spiders Take Down Towson, 10-7

Friday, February 24

Richmond, Va.

4:00 p.m.

University of Richmond

2-1

Towson

1-2

Towson

Richmond

02/24/2023 | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

Richmond, Va.— The Richmond Men's Lacrosse team put on a defensive showcase at Robins Stadium Friday, lifting the team to a 10-7 win over Towson.

Seven different Spiders found the back of the cage and added assists in Aidan O'Neil (2 goals, 2 assists), Luke Grayum (2 goals, 2 assists), Max Merklinger (2 goals 1 assist), Dalton Young (1 goal, 3 assists), Jeff Nugent (1 goal, 1 assist), Lance Madonna (1 goal) and Will Tazewell (1 goal) but it would be Richmond's defensive efforts that made all the difference.

Jake Saunders locked down the Towson offense, recording five caused turnovers and seven ground balls in the win that puts Richmond at 2-1 on the season. Towson falls to 1-2 with the loss.

Zach Vigue tallied nine saves in cage and the Spiders man-down defense held the Tigers to zero goals on their six extra-man opportunities.

Richmond scored the game's first two goals when Merklinger scored unassisted just 45 seconds into the game followed by an O'Neil quick stick goal off a pass from Luke Grayum. Towson would then score the next four to take a two goal lead early in the second quarter.

Richmond responded back in a big way with a five unanswered-goal run during the second and third quarters. Lance Madonna connected on a pass from Merklinger, then Merklinger scored his second the day off an assist by Jeff Nugent to even the score at four apiece for the game's last tie with 6:38 left in the second. From there, the Spiders kept their foot on the gas, scoring three more times while the defense caused 13 of Towson's 20 turnovers in the middle two frames. Grayum (Young), Young (O'Neil) Nugent (Grayum) put three more goals on the board for the Spiders as Richmond looked at a 7-4 lead just over five minutes in to the third quarter.

History looked like it may repeated itself after Towson scored two more goals in the third to make it a close 7-6 game headed into the fourth. The team's two meetings prior to Friday had been decided by just one goal in Richmond's favor. 2023 proved it would be different though, and Grayum (O'Neil), Tazewell (Young) and O'Neil (Young) scored in the fourth quarter to put the Spiders up 10-7 with just under three minutes left in the game.

Towson would score once more, but it wouldn't be enough as the Spiders advanced 2-0 at Robins Stadium this season.

The two teams were nearly even in shots with 35 by Richmond and 31 by Towson as well as face offs with Jared Chenoy winning 11-of-20 and picking up four ground balls.

Up next, the Spiders have a short turnaround before hosting Fairfield Sunday at 1:00 p.m.