GREENSBORO, N.C.– Facing one of their toughest challenges of the season, the Guilford College men's lacrosse team (2-7, 0-2 ODAC) hosted No.10 Nationally ranked Washington and Lee University (6-2, 2-0 ODAC) in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) showdown, ultimately falling by a score 21-5 at Appenzeller Field.
Statistically, W&L led in nearly every category, out-shooting GC 68-20 and holding a 43-11 advantage in shots on goal. The Generals also dominated in possession, winning 28-30 faceoffs while securing 48 ground balls to Guilford's 17. The last man on defense for the Quakers secured 22 saves, while Washington and Lee's defense stifled the Quakers' attack, allowing just five goals.
In goal for the Quakers,
Darius Safavi-Abbassi (Culver City, Calif.) made 22 saves, a season-high, against 21 goals, while facing a whopping 68 shots in total. The junior improves to a save percentage of .497. On the other end, Washington and Lee's goalkeeping tandem of Nick de Cain and JJ Kim combined for six saves against five goals, facing 20 total shots.
The Quakers were led by midfielder
Bashwyn Fitch (Charleston, S.C.) who secured a brace on four shot attempts, moving his goal total for the season to 13, third-most on the team.
Seth Woods (Hilton Head Island, S.C.) recorded a goal and an assist, while
Davis Palombo (Greensboro, N.C), also found the back of the net, with both players now tied for the team lead at 15 goals this season.
Gavin Brown (Charleston, S.C.) put one past the keeper, bringing his goal total to 12, fourth-most on the team.
Wyatt Dwyer (Seattle, Wash.) provided the only assist for the Quakers alongside a pair of ground balls.
Washington and Lee struck early and quick, scoring three goals in the opening eight minutes, provided by James Meyer and Ben Irmscher before Guilford responded. Fitch put the Quakers on the board at the 4:30 mark of the first cutting the deficit to 3-1. The Generals flew back within the minute notching another goal by Irmscher, assisted by Gavin McClernan. At the 2:11 mark, Woods fired home an unassisted goal to bring the Quakers within two, before the Generals struck again in the final moments of the period, carrying a 5-2 lead into the second quarter.
Guilford continued to battle in the second quarter with Fitch tallying his second of the game at 13:21, and Palombo adding another off a feed from Dwyer at 9:45, keeping the Quakers within reach. Just twenty seconds later, Washington and Lee's Gavin McClernan responded with a goal of his own, marking the last scoring effort of the quarter for both sides. The Quakers controlled most of the quarter as they headed into halftime with a score of 6-4.
The third quarter is when things began to get a bit messy for the home team. Brown provided an early spark at the beginning of the quarter with a solo goal before W&L erupted for eight goals, closing out the quarter with a 14-5 lead. The Generals continued to pull away in the fourth, preventing Guilford from securing a goal and adding seven more goals to seal the deal.
The men's lacrosse team will look to regroup as they hit the road for their next ODAC matchup against Randolph-Macon College on Saturday, March 29th. First face-off is set for 4 P.M.
#GoQuakes
