Cederberg nets six, pushes Wheaton past Clark in Pilgrim play, 13-8

NORTON, MA- Junior Ben Cederberg (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) set career highs with six goals and eight points on Saturday, leading the Wheaton College men's lacrosse team past Clark University, 13-8 in Pilgrim League action in Mirrione Stadium. The Lyons snapped a three-game losing streak in improving to 5-6 overall and 3-2 in the league, while the Cougars slipped to 6-6 and 2-3. Wheaton has now won 16 consecutive contests against Clark.

In addition to Cederberg's standout performance, junior Chris Landers (Manchester, MA/Proctor Academy) turned in two goals and three assists, while sophomore Billy McNamara (Mansfield, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School) had two goals and a pair of helpers. Senior Tim Horan (Cheshire, CT/Cheshire) tacked on a marker and an assist, and classmate Schuyler Horn (New Hartford, CT/Kingswood-Oxford School) made 12 saves.

With his two goals for Clark, graduate student Shawn Roche (Centerport, NY/Harborfields) became the program's all-time points leader, as he now has 180 for his career. Sophomore Chris Johnson (Amherst, MA/Amherst) turned in a goal and an assist, classmate Matt Fields (Oceanside, NY/Oceanside) went 15-for-25 on draws, and sophomore keeper Andrew DeVito (Glastonbury, CT/Glastonbury) made seven stops.

The Lyons pulled out to a 3-1 advantage with 3:55 remaining in the first quarter, as Cederberg and Landers scored 37 seconds apart to snap a tie. However, Johnson and senior Chris Adams (Bradford, NH/Kearsarge Regional) each tallied during a quick nine-second stretch to knot the game with 1:29 to go. Cederberg scored twice with his team a man up early in the second quarter before Roche tallied at 5:50, cutting Wheaton's advantage to 5-4 by halftime.

Clark drew to within a single tally twice during the third quarter before the Lyons went on a game-ending 6-2 run. Landers scored with 4.4 seconds left in the period to make it 8-6 before assisting Cederberg on consecutive goals 2:34 apart in the fourth. Cederberg then lent a hand for McNamara at 3:49, as Wheaton took a 12-7 lead, its first of two five-goal edges.

Wheaton completes the home portion of its regular season schedule on Monday, taking on New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) foe Trinity College at 4:00 p.m.