The Virginia Wesleyan University men's lacrosse team (7-2, 1-1 ODAC) battled tough but couldn't overcome a fast start from Washington and Lee, falling 24-5 at home on Saturday.
The Marlins ran into an early storm as Washington and Lee erupted for five goals in the opening quarter, seizing immediate control. Despite a handful of early saves and defensive stops, Virginia Wesleyan struggled to clear the ball cleanly and generate consistent offensive pressure.
After falling behind 9-0 midway through the second quarter, the Marlins showed resilience. Johnny Hollinshead broke through with an unassisted goal, and Zachary Dupill followed shortly after off a feed from Tyler Drane to trim the deficit to 9-2. However, Washington and Lee answered quickly to halt any momentum heading into halftime.
Virginia Wesleyan continued to fight in the second half. Tyler Drane found the back of the net in the third quarter, while Reef Krug added a pair of fourth-quarter goals, including one in the final seconds. The Marlins never stopped competing, even as the Generals continued to add to their lead.
Defensively, the Marlins were under constant pressure, facing 56 shots. Goalkeeper Thomas Skelly recorded 15 saves over three quarters of action, battling through heavy volume before Wyatt Skinner came on in relief.
Washington and Lee controlled key areas of the game, including faceoffs (21-12) and ground balls (44-28), which helped fuel their offensive surge. Extra-man opportunities also proved costly, with the Generals converting 3-of-4 chances.
