MOUNT VERNON, Iowa – The Beloit College Men's Lacrosse team put on a clinical performance on the road this afternoon, utilizing a massive second-half surge to defeat Cornell College 12-5 at Van Metre Field. Led by a hat trick from Sky Solig (Warroad, MN) and a five-point performance from Ryder Story (Salem, Ore.), the Buccaneers (5-6, 2-5 NACC) outshot the Rams (3-8, 1-6 NACC) 45-38 to secure the decisive conference win.
From the opening whistle, Beloit's offensive stars were in sync. Solig set the tone early, scoring the first goal of the game unassisted at the 11:28 mark of the first period. Solig proved to be a constant thorn in the Rams' side, adding two more unassisted goals in the second period to complete his hat trick and keep the Buccaneers ahead during a back-and-forth first half.
While Solig provided the finishing touch, Story acted as the primary engine for the Buccaneer offense. Story finished the day with two goals and a team-high three assists. His vision was on full display in the third period, where he assisted on back-to-back goals to help Beloit pull away.
The game was tied 2-2 early in the second period before Beloit took complete control. At 8:04 in the second, Story found the back of the net unassisted to give Beloit a 3-2 lead—a lead they would never relinquish. Late in the first half, George Haigley (Cockeysville, MD) capitalized on a Cornell penalty, scoring a Man-Up goal off a slick feed from Solig to make it 5-3.
Beloit blew the game open in the third, outscoring Cornell 5-1. Liam Walker (Elmhurst, Ill.) and Rilan Larmore (Olympia, Wash.) both scored during this stretch, both assisted by the hot hand of Story. Perhaps the most impressive plays of the day were Beloit's two "Down" goals. John Imbriale (Brooklyn, NY) scored while Beloit was a man down in the third (assisted by Samuel Van Der Kolk), and Larmore added another short-handed goal in the fourth period off a Robert Luzzi assist to push the lead to 12-4.
While the offense grabbed the headlines, the victory was anchored by a spectacular performance in the cage by Christian Moore (Dubuque, Iowa). Moore was a literal wall for the Buccaneers, recording 15 saves and allowing only five goals over the full 60 minutes of play to earn the win.
At the "X," Cristian Lewis (Seattle, WA) provided the Buccaneers with extra possessions all afternoon. Lewis won 11 of 19 face-offs and led the team with seven ground balls, ensuring Beloit maintained the tempo of the game. Keegan Heikila (West Salem, Ore.) and Parker Davis (Inver Grove Heights, MN) were also vital to the defensive effort, combining for seven ground balls and six caused turnovers to stifled the Cornell attack.
The Buccaneers are back home on Saturday at noon when they host Concordia Wisconsin. Prior to the game, the Buccaneers will recognize their seniors. Senior recognition will begin at 11:40.
