RICHMOND – With a 15-3 final score, the Earlham College men's lacrosse team began the 2023 season with the first win in the young career of  head coach Taylor Lanzillo. 

The Quakers were led on offense by Sam Sargen and Robert Gift, both scoring four goals each. Sargent also led EC in assists with five. 

Donovan Shea picked up a team-high eight ground balls, and Elijah Gamber won nine faceoffs. Emmitt Shaughnessy recorded nine saves and allowed just three goals in the cage. 

Sargent got things started in the seventh minute of play with the first goal of the contest. Starting at the 6:36 mark of the quarter, freshman Ryan Polack scored a pair of goals in just over 90 seconds of play. Sargent then ended the quarter with a score, off of an assist from Shea. 

Gift recorded his first goal of the contest in the first minute of the second quarter. The Quakers allowed a goal on a man-up opportunity with 13:54 left on the clock. Earlham then scored eight goals in the remainder of the quarter to take a 13-1 lead. Jacob Bandfield and Ben Adkins both found the back of the cage in the period before Gift sent the teams to halftime with a goal in the final minute of action. 

With the lead well in hand, the Quakers recorded one goal in each of the last two quarters. 

Earlham outshot the Cougars 36-34, and had a nine-point turnover differential. 

The MLAX season will continue on Wednesday in Darrell Beane Stadium with the Quaker Bowl Rivalry game against Wilmington College. Wilmington took the win in last season's opener 9-7 in Wilmington, Ohio.