Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Sophomore Tommy Heller (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) pumped in five goals and one assist and the sixth-ranked Gettysburg College men's lacrosse team erupted for a 22-5 victory over Goucher College in its home opener Wednesday afternoon at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium.
 
Senior Sean Fumai (Weston, Conn./Weston) added three goals and one assist for the Bullets (2-0), who had 13 different players find the scoring column. Sophomores Blake Gray (Reisterstown, Md./ McDonough School) and Jack Harvey (New Providence, N.J./New Providence) contributed two goals and one assist apiece while freshman Michael McCormick (Lorton, Va./Paul VI Catholic) also netted a pair of goals.
 
Gettysburg, which won its home opener for the sixth year in a row, also received one goal and two assists apiece from sophomore Andrew Garstka (Springfield, Va./Paul VI Catholic) and junior Justin McBride (Laurel Hollow, N.Y./Cold Spring Harbor).
 
The Bullets' 22 goals marked the team's highest-scoring output since a 23-5 victory over Washington College in the 2015 Centennial Conference semifinals. Gettysburg outshot Goucher 49-22, held a 36-20 advantage in ground balls, and won 20-of-30 face-offs.
 
Sophomore long-stick midfielder Chris Verdeur (Villanova, Pa./Shipley School) and junior defenseman Cullen Minion (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) paced the defense with four ground balls and two caused turnovers each while junior Tim Brady (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) played the opening 53:24 in goal, making five saves. At the X, freshman Kyle Portera (Bay Shore, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) went 7-for-10 while classmate Connor Hunt (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury) finished 7-for-11.
 
Pierce Bailey led Goucher (1-1) with two goals and one assist apiece. Matt Messerle made eight saves over the opening three quarters in net for the Gophers.
 
Gettysburg never trailed after scoring the first five goals of the game. Heller had a hot hand early on, scoring three times during the opening quarter alone and the Bullets led 5-0 at the end of the first quarter.
 
Goucher threatened briefly, scoring two of the next three goals to make it a 6-2 game with 3:13 left in the second quarter. But the Bullets ended the half with a three-goal flurry to assume a 9-2 lead at the break. Harvey kicked off the run with back-to-back goals, including a man-down tally, before Heller struck six seconds before the end of the half.
 
The Bullets used an incredibly balanced scoring effort in the second half, when 12 different players accounted for their 13 goals. Gettysburg outscored Goucher 6-2 in the third quarter and 7-1 in the final stanza.
 
Harvey, McCormick, sophomore Ian Harrington (Chadds Ford, Pa./Salisbury School), freshman Jake Bellinger (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney), freshman Luke McLoughlin (Medford Lakes, N.J./Saint Augustine Prep), and freshman Matt Smith (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape) all scored their first goals at Gettysburg.
 
The Orange and Blue continue their season on Saturday with their annual non-conference showdown with top-ranked Salisbury University at 1 p.m. in a rematch of last year's NCAA Division III semifinals.