VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (Feb. 20, 2016) – Virginia Wesleyan netted three unanswered goals in the third quarter and held on to edge the Widener University men's lacrosse team by an 11-10 score in the season opener for both schools on Saturday afternoon at Birdsong Stadium.
 
The Marlins, who led by a 5-4 score at halftime, started to break open a close game by getting goals from three different players in the opening five minutes of the third quarter. John Roth completed a hat trick at the 14:04 mark and then set up a Trenton Gahm score before Josh Currier closed out the hot stretch with an unassisted tally at the 9:11 mark.
 
Widener (0-1), however, clawed back and netted three unanswered to close the gap to a single goal early in the fourth. Senior Tim Taylor (Philadelphia, Pa.) sparked the Pride with a man-down goal to open up a high-scoring fourth quarter to give the visitors life. Freshman Brady Franks (State College, Pa.) then finished a pass from classmate Drew Amsley (Carlisle, Pa.) to make it 8-7 with 10:54 on the clock.
 
Virginia Wesleyan (1-0) appeared to be in control by going up 11-8 on a Justin Metzger tally with 4:50 remaining, but Widener stormed back again and got another marker from Taylor to complete a hat trick with 3:16 left to play in regulation to make it a two-goal game.
 
Despite losing the ensuing faceoff, Widener got the ball back and peppered opposing goalkeeper with six consecutive shots to set up an exciting finish. Junior Chris Sanchez (Flanders, N.J.) netted a man-up goal with four seconds left and sophomore Anthony Paone (Warrington, Pa.) won the next faceoff, but the clock unfortunately ran out before the visitors could attempt to net the equalizer.
 
The teams played an even first half with neither side leading by more than a goal until Virginia Wesleyan's Tyler Conn netted an even strength marker to create a 5-3 score with 4:40 remaining in the second quarter. Widener's Tyler Schulte (Southampton, N.J.) answered with 11 seconds to make it 5-4 at the break to help keep the contest close the rest of the way.
 
Widener, which outshot the Marlins by a 50-42 count and also won 15 of 25 face-off attempts, was paced by Schulte on the offensive end. The junior finished with four goals and one assist for five points. Paone won 15 of 24 face-off attempts and also scooped up nine ground balls, while senior captain Tyler McClary (Galena, Ohio) made 12 saves between the pipes.
 
Netminder Sean Galloway led the Marlins by turning away 21 shots in the winning effort. He also picked up a game-high 11 ground balls. Currier registered five points on four goals and one assist to pace the offense.
 
Widener resumes action when it hosts Swarthmore in its home opener on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 1:00 p.m.