GREENSBORO, North Carolina - The Virginia Wesleyan men's lacrosse team defeated the Pride of Greensboro College 13-5 in their season opener on the road in Greensboro, NC. The Marlins improve to 1-0 while the Pride falls to 0-1.

GAME INFORMATION
The game was the first for both squads of the 2020 season.

INSIDE THE SCORE
The Pride found the scoreboard first with a man-down goal in the fourth minute of action to go ahead 1-0 in the first quarter. Virginia Wesleyan answered with three consecutive goals in the remaining 11 minutes to lead 3-1 at the end of one. Jason Thibeault scored two goals while Greg Gaetano put in the third rock for the Marlins.

Greensboro again found the first goal of the second quarter pulling within one, 3-2, of Virginia Wesleyan at the 10:19 mark. The Marlins responded by scoring four goals in the next four minutes taking a 7-2 lead with six minutes remaining in the opening half of action. Andrew Johnson scored an unassisted goal to start the 4-0 rally. Nathan Sheirburn added a goal off the pass from Mark Sprague, Trevor Lalande got an assist from Joey Rayman who passed it in the crease for the sixth goal, and Rayman added the seventh off a pass from Austin Sax to lead by five. Greensboro scored the last goal of the half with 52 seconds remaining in the second quarter pulling within four to head into the break with the score sitting at 7-3.

The third quarter was a very defensive quarter by the Pride whose goalie made 11 saves on 14 shots and gave up two goals in the 15-minute window. Sprague and Rayman recorded the two goals for the Marlins in the third with Gaetano assisting on Sprague's goal. 

VWU headed into the fourth with a 9-3 lead and increased it further by adding two quick goals in the first 1:15 of play. A. Johnson and Sprague scored the pair with Sheirburn assisting on Spague's goal. Greensboro broke up the Virginia Wesleyan scoring drive with a pair of goals to pull within six points, 11-5, with 8:25 remaining in the game. The Marlins put the game out of reach with two last goals from Gaetano and Sheirburn to win 13-5 in the season opener. 

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN LEADERS
The Marlins were led by six players with two goals each in Nathan Sheirburn, Jason Thibeault, Andrew Johnson, Greg Gaetano, Joey Rayman, and Mark Sprague. Rayman added a pair of assists as well to lead in that category. Five players recorded six ground balls for VWU including Sheirburn, Thomas Potter, Kyle Leeming, Dante Castillo, and Rayman.

Sheirburn went 11-of-17 in the faceoff circle for the Marlins while Castillo won 3-of-5. Goalie Kyle Leeming (W: 1-0) picked up the win between the pipes making 14 saves on 19 shots faced and allowing just five goals. 

GREENSBORO LEADERS
The Pride was led by Austin Abourjillie with a pair of goals in the game. The keeper Christopher Stalling tallied nine ground balls and made an impressive 26 saves on 39 shots faced.

UP NEXT
The Marlins return to action on Saturday, February 22, when they host the Monarchs of Methodist University in their home opener at Birdsong Field. Game time between VWU and MU is scheduled to start at 1 PM.