McNamara's seven-point day carries Lyons to season-opening 12-10 win

BIDDEFORD, ME- Sophomore attackman Billy McNamara (Mansfield, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School) tallied seven points to lead the Wheaton College men's lacrosse team to a season-opening 12-10 victory on the University of New England's Hazard Field in non-league action on Saturday.

Playing the Nor'easters for the first time since 1994, the Lyons improved their series record to 3-0.  The University of New England, which knocked off Wheaton's Pilgrim League counterpart Lasell College during its season opener, fell to 1-1.

McNamara accounted for three of his five tallies in the decisive third quarter, as Wheaton scored all four of the frame's goals in taking an 11-6 advantage.  Junior Ben Cederberg (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) finished with two goals and a trio of assists, while senior Warren Garceau (Guilford, CT/Canterbury School) went 15-for-25 on face-offs. Senior goalie Schuyler Horn (New Hartford, CT/Kingwood-Oxford School) turned aside seven shots.

For UNE, juniors Luke DiFiore (Gloucester, MA/Gloucester) and Steve Smith (Walpole, MA/Walpole), sophomore Joe McCarthy (Billerica, MA/Central Catholic) and freshman Tyler Thomas (Pleasantville, NY/Pleasantville) had two goals each, while sophomore Dylan Thomas (Pleasantville, NY/Pleasantville) earned five assists.  Classmate Nate Porter (Cohasset, MA/Cohasset Middle) stopped 13 shots between the pipes.

After yielding a UNE goal just 30 seconds into action, the visitors reeled off three straight in 2:49 for an early 3-1 edge.  The hosts knotted the contest at three before the midway point of the first, and the teams exchanged goals in the final 2:48 to make the score 4-4 at the end of one.

Cederberg gave the Blue and White a 5-4 edge 5:06 into the second before the Nor'easters scored twice in 1:08 for a 6-5 lead, but that proved to be their final advantage, as Wheaton stormed back with six straight goals, including the last two of the quarter.

Holding a 7-6 lead at halftime, the Lyons nearly doubled their lead by the end of the third period, as three straight goals from McNamara keyed the surge.  The hosts responded with three consecutive markers in the opening 4:41 of the final frame to close within 11-9.

Junior Duncan Smith (Centerport, NY/Harborfields) answered for Wheaton, converting a pass from Cederberg with 5:37 to play, while the Nor'easters scored the game's final goal on a man-up tally with just over three minutes remaining.

Wheaton remains on the road this Thursday for a non-conference meeting at Keene State College at 4:00 p.m.