MEN'S LAX TAKES DOWN CONFERENCE RIVAL CASTLETON STATE, Defense Is Solid While Lightbown Nets Game High Four

The Mount Ida College Men’s Lacrosse team held North Atlantic Conference (NAC) rival Castleton State College to only two goals taking the 10-2 victory in Newton, MA on a cold and windy Saturday. The Mustangs stay perfect in the NAC at a solid 3-0 and improve to 5-3 overall, while the Spartans take their first conference loss of the season dropping to 2-1 in league play, 3-3 overall.

It was all Mount Ida the entire first quarter dominating the offense and shutting down the Spartans defensively leaving them with a goose egg in the first 15 minutes. Senior attack John Lightbown (Melrose, MA/Melrose) fired in the first two goals of the game, both unassisted, to give the Mustangs to 2-0 lead with 5:48 remaining in the first quarter. MIC freshman attack Matt Savage (Peabody, MA/Peabody) would bounce in the third Mustang goal before the horn to give his squad the 3-0 advantage going into the second quarter.

Mount Ida would pick up right where they left off netting goal number four off an unassisted goal by junior Brett Conley (Fairfield, CT/Fairfield Warde) his first of two in the game stretching the lead to 4-0 Mustangs. The Spartans would eventually get on the board with 5:07 left before the half on a goal by visiting sophomore Michael Martinez (Barrington, IL/Barrington) making it 5-1 at the break.

In the opening 20 seconds of the third quarter, Savage would tally his second score of the contest while the rest of the Mustangs followed with the next five goals over the next 18 minutes. Lightbown, who would tally a game high four scores, netted two while freshman Dan Harrington (Westford, MA/Westford Academy) and sophomore Dan Kelley (Bethany, CT/Amity Regional) added one a piece. Conley would also provide his second goal of the game giving the Mustangs the easy 10-2 victory against their long time rival.

The Spartans would net their final goal of the game with 1:40 remaining by senior James VanDerKar (Manchester, VT/Burr & Burton Acd.) assisted by freshman Michael DelDotto (Reading, MA/Austin Prep.).

Fortunately the game was very clean, although there have been scuffles in the past due to the heavy rivalry in the conference, with only seven penalties by Castleton State and three by Mount Ida in this one.

Mustang goaltender Matt Vernik (Bethany, CT/Amity Regional) would stop six shots, while Spartan goalie Michael Mamunes (Manchester, CT/East Catholic) would save 13.

Mount Ida will stay home and host Pilgrim League member Babson College this Wednesday starting at 3:00 p.m.