Strong Defensive Effort Sends Firebirds to 13-8 Win Over Georgian Court

HERNDON, VA – A superb defensive effort that included a school record 19 saves by graduate goalkeeper Pat Payne led to University of the District of Columbia's 13-8 victory over Georgian Court University in men's lacrosse action Wednesday afternoon at Word of Grace Christian Field.

Payne stopped 19 of 27 shots faced, the defensive unit caused seven turnovers, and seven different Firebirds scored at least one goal en-route to UDC's third victory of the season to improve to 3-5 overall.

Junior midfielder LaRon Hinton scored a hat trick in the first quarter, but suffered a game-ending injury while scoring that 3^rd goal in the final seconds of the opening period. Freshman midfielder Cameron Green added two goals and one assist, junior attack Chase Fraser, freshman attack Edmund Taylor and graduate midfielder Michael King each scored a pair of goals, and freshman midfielder Braylon Lumb assisted two goals and scored one.

Georgian Court, a first-year program out of Lakewood, NJ, was led by CJ Francisco with two goals and one assist. Cory Boyle added a pair of goals as well.

The Firebirds out-shot the Lions 52-41, though GCU edged UDC, 27-25 in shots on goal. GCU goalkeeper Jack Wilson stopped 12 of 25 shots faced, allowing 13 goals. Also, UDC won the ground ball battle, 48-38, and was better on clear attempts (20-of-23 vs. 18-of-24).

The Lions struck first just 21 seconds into the game, as Francisco gave the visitors their only lead of the day, 1-0. UDC responded with five unanswered goals to end the quarter, with Hinton scoring three of them.

Sophomore midfielder Teilen Celentano won the opening face-off in the 2^nd quarter and rushed down the field to extend the Firebirds run to 6-0 just nine seconds into the period, and UDC led by five. GCU's Ryder Verdoni stopped the bleeding with an unassisted goal at the 11-minute mark, and 31 seconds later, Verdoni assisted on a man-up goal by Francisco to make it 6-3. Neither team scored for nearly nine minutes before King ended the drought with an unassisted goal with just under two minutes left in the half. The Firebirds led 7-3 at intermission.

UDC opened the 3^rd quarter with back-to-back goals by Taylor at 13:09 and Lumb at 10:46 to pad its lead to six, but GCU answered with back-to-back goals by Joseph Ramirez at 8:48 and a man-up goal by Jake Sherman at 7:11 to once again make it a four-goal differential. 

Neither team would score for a little over five minutes until King capitalized on a man-up opportunity for UDC – its only man-up goal in seven tries on the day. Boyle would answer for the Lions 33 seconds later, but with under a minute left in the third quarter, Taylor beat his defender and beat Wilson low between his legs to put the Firebirds up 11-6 heading into the final quarter.

The Firebirds and Lions each scored two goals in the final period, as UDC coasted to the five-goal victory.

Next up, UDC will host East Coast Conference foe Molloy College on Saturday, April 16^th at Woodrow Wilson HS.