CHESTER, Pa. – A windy Widener Men's Lacrosse game against Elizabethtown ends in a tough defeat on Hirschmann Field.
 
The 9-8 loss moves the Pride to 1-6 in the regular season with the first MAC Commonwealth game scheduled for the first weekend in April.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Bryant Maits led the Pride with a hat-trick on seven shots.
• Jimmy Knepp added two assists while shooting a perfect 3-of-3.
• Chris Covington became a ground ball magnet with six and four caused turnovers on defense.
• In the cage, Keegan Billie saw a season high 22 saves.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Pride would open the game with a handful of shots. Matt Buckley and Caiden Shaffer would rattle off shots that would be blocked and saved. Wesley Sporer would score the first goal for the Blue and Gold at 3:14 to tie the game at one. A Blue Jay penalty for a cross-check would allow a man-up goal for Maits to end the quarter with a 2-1 lead.
• To open the second, Buckley added a goal to keep the streak alive. A Blue Jay turnover would send the Pride into the attacking zone for another Maits goal to take a 4-2 lead. J. Knepp passed a ball to Buckley for his second goal at 8:47 in the second. To close out the half, Billie would make four saves to head into half with a 5-3 lead.
• Out of halftime, the first goal of the third quarter would happen at 6:18 with a Maits solo goal for his third. Billie would stand strong in the cage to allow one goal against while making nine saves.
• Sporer opened the fourth quarter with a 12:44 goal after Maits took two shots wide and Buckley's wide shot. The Pride would lose momentum as the Blue Jays crawled back into the game. Matt Horgan would take the lead after a Sporer assist with 2:39 left in the game. The Pride would fall short to see a 9-8 defeat against Elizabethtown. 

UP NEXT
Widener travels to the 3-5 (0-0 MAC FREEDOM) Arcadia Knights for a 12 p.m. faceoff on Saturday, Mar. 23.