Men's Lacrosse Takes ECC/GMAC Challenge Cup Game Over Malone

CANTON, Ohio – In the ECC/GMAC Challenge Cup Game, the Frostburg State Men's Lacrosse team took down the Malone Pioneers by a score of 16-10 on the road Saturday afternoon.

A faceoff win for junior Gregg Dort Jr. gave FSU the first possession, as within 30 seconds graduate Bubba Love fed senior Tyler Dooley for a 1-0 Frostburg lead. A Malone turnover found the ball in the stick of Dooley who hit the post, as graduate Chase Buckwalter got the rebound and a goal for a 2-0 Bobcat advantage. Next faceoff was won by the Pioneers but their shot went wide. FSU on the return resulted in Love finding graduate Justin Hulse for a 3-0 FSU lead. A caused turnover by sophomore Christian Killoran allowed Love to record another assist, as freshman Henry Sykes put the ball past the Malone goalie increasing the Bobcats lead to 4-0. Junior Alex Walstrum had a solo score just after his faceoff win, pushing Frostburg's lead to 5-0. Walstrum won the ball on the following play, finding junior Landon Bruce, who assisted Buckwalter's second goal of the day for a 6-0 score. A Malone ground ball found its way through FSU's defense and into the goal for the Pioneers first goal of the game at the 5:30 mark in the first. On the next play, Malone found themselves called for a faceoff violation, and with FSU taking advantage, freshman Luke Roach extended the Bobcats lead to 7-1 after the first quarter.

Graduate Owen McCallum traded goals with Malone to kick off the second with a 8-2 score. FSU on a man-up opportunity found their ninth goal of the game after a Buckwalter to Roach connection. The Pioneers put up three unanswered goals in the coming three minutes to cut their deficit to four. The Pioneers' run was stopped by a solo goal from sophomore Hayden McCullough to put the game at 10-5. Walstrum, on a tear, took the faceoff down for a goal increasing FSU's lead to six.  The next two goals were awarded to Buckwalter and Love, both unassisted, as the Bobcats headed into the break with a 13-5 lead.

Out of halftime, junior Nate Jones had a big save resulting in McCallum finding the back of the net to increase the Bobcat's lead to 14-5. Dooley paid back the favor to Love with the assist on goal 15 for Frostburg, as the score read 15-5. A near nine-minutes went by before either team saw a score, as Malone with their sixth goal was the last action of the third for a 15-6 game.

Malone with the momentum put the first one away to begin the fourth, bringing the score to 15-7. Time winded down until under seven, as freshman Baylor Davis traded goals with the Pioneers to see a 16-8 game. FSU allowed Malone to score two more goals in the fourth, with the final score reading 16-10 in favor of Frostburg.

Buckwalter led with three goals, followed by Love, McCallum, Walstrum, and Roach each with two. Love led with four assists and six points, as 11 Bobcats were credited with at least one single caused turnover.  Jones had thirteen total saves on the day.

With the win, Frostburg improves to 3-1 on the year, while Malone falls to 2-4. FSU is back in Bobcat Stadium on Wednesday, March 13 at 3 PM as they host the Bentley Falcons. For more information, please visit frostburgsports.com.