LaRon Hinton Breaks Program Points Record in Firebirds Loss at Post

WATERBURY, CT – Junior midfielder LaRon Hinton surpassed the University of the District of Columbia men's lacrosse record for goals and points scored in a season with his game-high five goals today, but the Firebirds were defeated by NCAA Division II East Region foe Post University, 15-12 on Saturday afternoon at LaMoy Field.

Hinton, who entered the game ranked 2^nd in NCAA Division II for both goals-per-game (4.5) and points per-game (5.83), registered his 5^th game this season of five goals or more as he took 10 shots (7 SOG), scooped up seven ground balls, and had a team-high two caused turnovers.  With his five goals today, he broke the program single-season record of 37 points set by Chase Fraser in 2014 and 2016, and he also surpassed Fraser's single-season goals scored record of 31 set in 2014.

The Firebirds (3-4) led 7-5 at halftime and 9-8 heading into the 4^th quarter, but the Eagles (2-4) outscored their guests 7-3 in the final period to snap a three-game losing streak and earn a come-from-behind victory on their home field.

Sophomore transfer attack Zach Hart added three goals for the Firebirds, and freshman attack Alan Singleton pitched in four points on one goal and three assists.

Freshman goalkeeper Nikolas Lund-Murray had a season-high 19 saves on 34 shots faced in a complete game effort. Defender Clifford Strickland tied with Hinton for a team-high two caused turnovers, and junior midfielder Teilen Celentano was 16-of-28 on face-off attempts.

Post featured eight different goal scorers on the day, including Luke McDermott and Frank Nichols, Jr. each with four points on three goals and one assist. Also, Paul Hylan tied for the game-high of five points as he registered two goals and three assists.

The Eagles' goalkeeper Shane Trost earned the victory as he stopped 12 of 23 shots faced and allowed 11 goals. He was relieved for the final 11 seconds of regulation by Manuele D'Alessio, who gave up one goal on one shot faced.

The hosts struck first and also last as the two teams combined for only four goals in the first quarter. Each goalie stopped five shots in that opening period and the two teams combined for 11 turnovers. Hinton scored back-to-back goals at 3:58 and 3:12, and the two teams were even at 2-2 after one quarter played.

Hart opened the scoring in the 2^nd quarter off of an assist by Singleton, and UDC had its 2^nd lead of the day, 3-2. Post responded by scoring three consecutive goals in less than three minutes to take a 5-3 lead, but UDC answered back again with four straight goals to end the half and take a 7-5 lead at intermission.

Just over five minutes into the 3^rd quarter, Hinton scored once more to extend the Firebird lead to 8-5, but back-to-back Post goals by Mitchell Kinney and Luke McDermott made it 8-7 at the 7:30 mark. Junior midfielder Syrrus Nash put a stop to the Eagles' surge as he ripped a shot past Trost just past the six-minute mark to put UDC up by two, 9-7. Neither team would score until 22 seconds remaining in the period, when Trevor Buchas made it a one-goal game, scoring off of an assist by Alsharif Blackman.

Buchas' goal gave the Eagles the momentum in the 4^th quarter as Post racked up six straight goals over a span of a little over 12 minutes. Although UDC out-scored Post 3-1 in the final two-and-a-half minutes, it was too little too late, and the Firebirds fell by a final score of 15-12.

Both teams had nine penalties, but Post converted 4-of-9 man-up opportunities while UDC converted only 2-of-9. The Eagles out-shot UDC, 47-37 and they had four fewer turnovers (20-16).

Next up, UDC will host ECC foe Chestnut Hill College on Saturday, April 1^st in the program's first ever home game played on the school's main campus at UDC Field. The game will be played approximately at 3 p.m., following the completion of the UDC women's lacrosse game.