(Ann Arbor, MI) The Men's Lacrosse team continued conference play Wednesday with a home game against the Cleary Cougars. Both teams came into the contest looking for their first conference win and the Cardinals came away with a dominant 27-4 victory over the Cougars.
Marcus Villagomez led the Cardinal attack with seven goals on the day, matching his season total in this one contest. Evan Stuart, Blake Blaisdell, and Ryan Iles all scored hat tricks with five, four, and three goals respectively. Sam Bowling started in goal, earning the win.
The Cardinals were a perfect 12 for 12 on clear attempts, forcing 27 turnovers from the Cougars as well. Nick Bradford, Sam Saje, and Joseph Cady combined to win 27 of the 34 total faceoffs for Concordia. The Cardinal defense did well on the penalty kill, not allowing any goals on Cleary's five man-up opportunities.
Marcus Villagomez started off the game with a goal just over one minute into the game. The Cougars were quick to respond with a goal less than a minute later from Mike Smith. The Cardinals then responded with an onslaught of 12 straight goals throughout the remainder of the first quarter. Villagomez scored the next two for the Cards, getting a hat trick just three and a half minutes into the game. Blake Blaisdell, Andrew Simmons, and Aldo Hans all scored two goals in the run along with another three from Villagomez.
The Cougars responded with back-to-back goals to kick off the second quarter, but the Cardinals responded with four to finish the first half. Calvin Wilson scored his first collegiate goal, Blake Blaisdell made it a hat trick, and Evan Stuart scored a pair late in the half to put the Cards up 17-3.
Jackson Saleh played in goal for the Cardinals in the second half, earning three saves. Stuart score two more in the third quarter, getting a hat trick of his own. Ryan Iles scored his second and Villagomez made it seven on the day.
Ryan Iles made it a hat trick early in the fourth quarter while Stuart, Blaisdell, and Wilson all tacked on another goal each. The Cougars snuck in one goal in the fourth, but faceoff specialists Joseph Cady and Sam Saje each netted a goal before the final horn.
The Cardinals will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to UM-Dearborn for a 2:00 game.
