By: Chamberlain Bauder
ROCHESTER, N.Y. --- The Robert’s Wesleyan RedHawks men’s lacrosse team hosted their home opener against Assumption College on Saturday March 4, winning 10-7. The RedHawks were led in scoring by Senior Dan Doviak with five goals and an assist. Grad student Reid Jackowski followed him up with two goals and two assists and Sophomore Gunner Macmillan had two goals as well. Those three attackers now total 57 goals and 27 assists through only five games. Sophomore Andy Davis stood on his head for the RedHawks, notching 20 saves on the day and posting a .74 save percentage.
The RedHawks came out slow to start, the temperature and snow may have had something to do with it. Despite Doviak scoring the opening goal, Assumption went on a four-goal run through the remainder of the quarter and the RedHawks were looking at a 4-1 deficit at the end of the first.
It was a defensive battle to say the least in the first half. Roberts Wesleyan’s trio of Parker Bossard, Brady Kustra and Connor Pearce and Long Stick Midfielder Luke Delavak stood tall in the defensive end notching six caused turnovers between those athletes. Freshman short stick defender Sam Keens had a strong game with an assist, two ground balls and a caused turnover as well.
Offensively the unit always keeps the same three attackers in, more circulation occurs through the midfield unit. Jordon Deats runs the point, he was able to come away with a goal on the day. Matt Walsh, Jacob Zimmerman, and Ethan Brown all cycled into the offensive unit.
It was a slow methodical second quarter, the RedHawks could not figure out Colin Malone in net for Assumption, he had 16 saves on the day. Eventually Gunner MacMillian had enough, wrapping around the back of the net and releasing the ball behind him just past goal line extended to find the top near corner and cut the lead down to two for the Greyhounds. Doviak found one on his own 45 seconds later and the RedHawks went into half time looking much better than they had through a majority of the half.
As Roberts Wesleyan came into the third quarter everything changed, and it all started at the face-off X. Freshman specialist Isaac Marrero won five face-offs in a row to lead the RedHawks back into this game. Marrero won the opening faceoff of the half and after two save shots from Malone the RedHawks finally found the back of the net on their fourth shot attempt as Dan Doviak tied things up just over three minutes into the period. The Greyhounds responded almost immediately with their first goal since the first quarter but the face-off winning from Marrero was just too powerful.
Thirty seconds after the Assumption goal, Jackowski got onto the board for the first time to tie it. Another thirty seconds after that MacMillian found his second and Marrero proceeded to win another face-off. Another thirty off the clock, and Doviak finds the back of the net again, then a minute later Jackowski bagged his second goal of the day and Roberts Wesleyan was looking at an 8-5 lead, not even halfway through the third quarter. Ryan Healey came back down the turf for Assumption and put one away on their next offensive possession with eight minutes left to go in the third quarter, that was the last goal of the third.
Doviak opened the fourth quarter with his fifth goal of the day and capped his season total at 22 in five games so far. Assumption responded, but after Jordon Deats scored wide open on the power play, that was the final score, 10-7. The RedHawks will have a serious test up next as they take on the #2 Le Moyne, a team that lost the national championship in 2022 and won it in 2021.