MAY 29, 2005 - HEARTBREAK FOR SAINTS

PHILADELPHIA, PA: The NCAA Division II Men’s Lacrosse National Championship Game has only gone to overtime three times. Limestone fans can certainly name two of them. In back-to-back finals the Saints have played two of the greatest games in Division II History. Unfortunately, they have come up on the wrong end of two overtime classics.

Limestone controlled the game early on. Nolan Heavenor and David Wooster started the Saints off with a 2-0 lead. Limestone maintained the advantage until Tom Zummo scored consecutive goals to tie the game with 14:18 remaining in the half. New York Tech took the lead when Most Outstanding Player Joe Gabrysiak scored with 10:56 remaining to give the Bear's a 5-4 lead.

Bobby Woody then rattled off consecutive goals to put the Saints back on top, and Limestone held a slim 7-6 margin at halftime. In the second half the Bears took an 8-6 lead. With 10:00 to play in the third period Roger Vyse scored his first of a pair of goals to put the Saints up 9-8.

With 8:14 to play in the game Vyse found the net again. That goal tied the game at 11 and broke the NCAA Division II single season goals record. NYIT's Doug Fry scored 70 goals in 1971. In 2005 Vyse found the net 71 times.

Tech then scored a pair to lead 13-11 with just over 3:00 to play. Senior midfielder Pat Cardiff then took his team on his back. He scored with 2:41 to play and then again with 1:44 to play to send the game to overtime tied at 13.

In the overtime period, the Saints won the opening face-off and had two chances to score, but it was NYIT's Joe Gabrysiak who scored the game-winner with 2:04 on the clock.

"The amazing thing is that we will all wake up in the morning," said Head Coach Chris Hasbrouck. "I'm proud of my kids. They played their hearts out, and we just came up a little short today. We both had great athletes, and in the overtime emotions take over. Tech was able to force a couple of turnovers and they played a great game."

David Wooster led the Saints with 6 points on 4 goals and 2 assists. Bobby Woody added 3 goals and an assist while Nolan Heavenor and Patrick Cardiff each added 3 points.

The Bears were led by Joe Gabrysiaks 8 points on 4 goals and 4 assists. Tom Zummo added 5 goals for NYIT.

For Limestone it was their 6th consecutive appearance in the final, which is a new Division II record. The offense set an all-time record with 339 goals and no player has ever had a better season than Roger Vyse who finished with 71 goals and 100 points.

MAY 21, 2005 - REDEMPTION: SAINTS EARN RECORD 6TH STRAIGHT TITLE GAME WITH 9-8 WIN OVER #1 LeMOYNE

SYRACUSE, NY: Just minutes left to play. Limestone leads LeMoyne by one. The Saints trying to kill the clock…sound familiar to anyone? Last year the game ended in heartbreak. This year the Saints knocked off #1 LeMoyne and ended their NCAA Division II record 30 game winning streak with a 9-8 win. With three games in the all-time series, a Limestone vs. LeMoyne match up has never disappointed, and today's game certainly lived up to the billing.

After the final buzzer, Corcoran High School fans could be heard amongst the 1,890 on hand, chanting "Mar-ty, Mar-ty!" Sophomore goalkeeper and Syracuse native Marty Ward turned in the game of his life in front of his hometown fans. Ward recorded 14 saves including 6 in the final period.

Something had to give in this battle of Goliath's. LeMoyne boasted the nation's best defense while Limestone's potent offense is tops in the nation. Prior to the game, LeMoyne players felt they could limit Limestone to 6 goals or less. The Saints nearly had that total in the first half and finished with more goals than the Dolphins had allowed since their last meeting with Limestone in Baltimore.

LeMoyne drew first blood when Kyle Reichel scored just 15 seconds into the game. Limestone called a timeout to regroup and inside of the 13 minute mark Jesse Buppert evened the score at one. Everytime LeMoyne scored Limestone would answer, but the Saints were unable to take the lead. That is until Roger Vyse scored his 3rd goal of the first half with 22 seconds to go, giving the Saints a 5-4 edge at the break.

Nolan Heavenor opened the scoring in the second half to give Limestone a two goal margin, which would prove to be the largest lead of the game. The two teams continued to trade goals. Vyse put Limestone back up by a pair at 9-7 when he scored his 4th goal of the game with 8:10 to play. With 4:09 on the clock, LeMoyne's Mike McDonald found the net for the second time to pull the Dolphins within one.

Heavenor then went to midfield for a huge face-off. He corralled the ball and the Saints took a quick shot that missed high. Limestone retained possession with just over 3:00 to play and began to kill the clock. With 11 seconds left LeMoyne came up with a ground ball behind the Limestone net. The Dolphins got a last second desperation shot off, but it sailed safely wide and Limestone took the 9-8 win.

Vyse led the way for Limestone with 5 points on 4 goals and an assist. Patrick Cardiff had 3 points on a goal and 2 assists. Heavenor scored 2 goals to go with 1 assist while winning 10-of-19 face-offs.

LeMoyne outshot Limestone 42-25, but the Saints controlled the ball by winning 11-of-20 face-offs. Penalties were lopsided as LeMoyne converted just 2-of-9 extra man opportunities while Limestone was successful on 1-of-5. Marty Ward was the difference in the game as he recorded 14 saves, many in one-on-one point blank situations. LeMoyne's Jared Corcoran managed just 4 saves for the Dolphins.

Brandon Spillett and Mike McDonald each scored a pair of goals for LeMoyne while Matt Holdrige had two assists.

Saints' Marty Ward makes save against LeMoyne

"Marty was the difference today," said Head Coach Chris Hasbrouck. "We couldn't have asked for more from him. We challenged our defense. We were patient, and the defense stepped up today. We were just a little bit better than they were today in a great game."

After the game, Ward said it a thrill to play in front of so many friends and family members. "This is the greatest feeling of my life. We talked about redemption a lot and felt that they kind of stole it from us last year. It was great to get another chance and to pull it off."

With the win, Limestone advances to the national championship game for an NCAA Division II record 6th consecutive year. The Saints will play NYIT in Philadelphia on May 29.

MAY 8, 2005 - THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

BALTIMORE, MD: For all their tremendous accolades - two national championships, five consecutive trips to the national final, 6 consecutive seasons with three or fewer losses, and 61 consecutive victories over Deep South Conference opponents - the Limestone College men's lacrosse team has never had an undefeated season.

The 2005 squad came as close as any Limestone team ever has. They entered their final regular season game with a perfect 14-0 record, just one win shy of the school record of 15 wins (2004).

Today's game against 5th ranked Mercyhurst had all the makings of an upset. The Lakers, losers of their last three games, had nothing to lose. They had to have a win to give themselves a chance at the 4th playoff spot. Meanwhile, Limestone is a lock to represent the South Region in the national semifinals.

Mercyhurst came out hard and led 10-6 at halftime. Limestone outscored the Lakers 5-3 in the second half, but it was not enough and Mercyhurst came away with a 13-11 win.

"They played with a sense of urgency that we did not have," said Head Coach Chris Hasbrouck. "They got after it and played a great game. We dug a hole and couldn't quite come back."

Limestone outshot Mercyhurst 35-33 and took 27 ground balls compared to 22 for the Lakers. Mercyhurst won 17-of-28 face-offs.

Roger Vyse led the Saints with 3 goals. Patrick Cardiff scored 2 goals and had an assist. Brad Patridge, Chris Wolff, and David Wooster each added a pair of goals, while Jesse Buppert and Kyle Zents each had an assist. Marty Ward made 15 saves for the Saints.

Latties led the Lakers with 2 goals and 2 assists, while Saung and McLellan each scored twice.

"Fortunately," Hasbrouck says, "we will get a chance at redemption." The selections for the national semifinals will be made Sunday night. College Sports Television's Scoreboard Show will carry the selection show at 9:00 p.m. eastern time. CSTV is available on DirecTV channel 610 and selected cable systems (check your local listings).

Limestone (14-1) appears to be the clear choice in the South Region while undefeated and defending national champion LeMoyne (14-0) should get the northern bid, and is expected to play Limestone in the semifinals.

APRIL 30, 2005 - LIMESTONE DOUBLES UP DI BELLARMINE

GAFFNEY, SC: The limestone College men's lacrosse team improved to 14-0 with a 14-7 win over Division I Bellarmine University (13-2).

The Knights' pressure frustrated the Saints throughout the first half. Bellarmine took an early 2-0 lead on a pair of goals from Cameron Adams, and Limestone failed to score until Bobby Woody finally found the net with 5 ticks left in the first quarter.

Jesse Buppert scored the first goal of the second period, but Sean Dobbs answered to give the Knight's a 3-2 edge. Kyle Zents tied the game with 7:47 remaining in the half, but defense continued to prevail at the close of the half.

In the final seconds of the first half, Bellarmine made a monumental mistake. Adams took a shot a point blank range, but sophomore keeper Marty Ward came up with a save and the two got tangled and went to the ground. As they got up Adams threw a punch at Ward's head. Adams was given assessed a 3:00 penalty for fighting and was ejected from the game. Ward was given a 1:00 penalty for unnecessary roughness. More importantly, that punch from Adams brought the Saints out of their slumber.

Limestone started the second half with 7 unanswered goals and outscored the Knights 8-2 in the third period. With 10:45 left in the third, Brad Patridge found Roger Vyse for a score. With that goal, Vyse, who already holds the school record for goals in a season (61), tallied 89 points on the season braking Nick Carlson's school record for points in a single season. The Saints focused on ball control in the fourth period and cruised to the 14-7 win.

Woody led the Saints with 4 goals. Buppert added 3 scores while Vyse, Zents, and David Wooster each found the net twice. Adam Gardner scored three times for the Knights while Adams scored a pair of goals before being ejected from the contest.

Ward recorded 8 saves for Limestone while a pair of Bellarmine keepers totaled 9 saves. Limestone outshot Bellarmine 39-24 and won 15-of-23 face-offs. Nolan Heavenor was outstanding on face-offs, raising his season average to .768 by winning 15-of-21.

Limestone senior midfielder Patrick Cardiff was taken to the hospital after taking a hard hit to the head in the first quarter.

"Our prayers are with Cardiff right now," said Head Coach Chris Hasbrouck. "I thought we really took the game away from them in second half. They were a little stronger defensively than we expected, but we had by far our best defensive effort of the season."

Today's game was preceded by senior day festivities. Limestone honored 12 outstanding seniors. The class of 2005 has an overall record of 55-7. They never lost a game to a Deep South Conference opponent, taking 4 DSC Titles. They have won 17 consecutive home games, dating back to the opening game of the 2003 season. The seniors of 2005 have played in 3 consecutive national title games, winning the championship in their freshman year of 2002.

Limestone's 12 seniors are the backbone of the 2005 squad that entered the game leading the nation, including all NCAA Divisions, in margin of victory at over 16 and goals per game with over 22. They also rank 2nd in Division II with just over 6 goals allowed per game.

Limestone will return to action on Sunday, May 8, when they meet Mercyhurst College in Annapolis, MD. That game is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.

APRIL 28, 2005 - SAINTS SET FOR SENIORDAY SHOWDOWN

GAFFNEY, SC: The Limestone men's lacrosse team will put its 13-0 record on the line against Division I Bellarmine University on Saturday in what looks to be one of the toughest matchups on Saints Field in recent years.

Prior to the game, scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. start, the Saints will honor their 12 seniors. The class of 2005 has an overall record of 54-7. They have never lost a game against a DSC opponent, taking 4 DSC Championships. They have won 16 consecutive home games dating back to the opening game of the 2003 season, an 11-10 loss to LeMoyne.

The senior class has played in 3 national championship games, winning the title in their freshman season of 2002. In their junior campaign, they set school records with 15 wins and a winning percentage of 88% while tying the school record for goals in a season with 314.

This year, Limestone leads the nation, including all NCAA Divisions, with over 22 goals per game and an average margin of victory of over 16 goals per game. They rank 2nd in Division II with just over 6 goals allowed per game.

Roger Vyse (Six Nations Reserve Ontario, Canada) has led the Limestone attack. Vyse was named DSC Player of the Year and Tournament MVP. He leads the nation, including all NCAA Divisions, with 6.77 points and 4.62 goals per game. This season, Vyse has already set a school record for goals in a single season with 60 and has tied Nick Carlson's school record of 88 points in a single season.

Saturday's game will feature two very similar teams. Bellarmine enters the game with a record of 13-1. The Knights are averaging 14.39 goals per game while allowing just 7.69 goals per game. They have taken wins over some opponents who are familiar to Limestone fans, defeating Mars Hill 22-10, Pfeiffer 23-5, Wheeling Jesuit 22-9, St. Andrews 14-11, Catawba 15-8, and Mercyhurst 13-12 (OT). The Knight's lone loss of the season was a nail biting 8-7 loss at Butler.

Saturday's game is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. face-off, but fans are encouraged to arrive early as Senior Day festivities should start at approximately 1:45.

APRIL 24, 2005 - SEVENTH HEAVEN

WINGATE, NC: The Limestone College men's lacrosse team (13-0) claimed its seventh consecutive Deep South Conference Title on Sunday. Today's 23-6 win over Catawba College (8-6) marked Limestone's 61st consecutive victory over DSC opponents.

Limestone, ranked 2nd in the nation, jumped out to a 5-0 lead before Catawba could get on the board. Saint senior face-off specialist Nolan Heavenor (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) scored three of his four goals in the first period as LC led 9-1 after the opening 15 minutes.

Heavenor and junior midfielder Harley Beekman (Amsterdam, NY) set the table for the Saints offense the entire afternoon, as the two teammates combined for 28 wins in 33 face-offs. Heavenor won 15-of-19 face-offs, while Beekman was successful in 13-of-14 face-offs.

Saint senior attackman Roger Vyse (Six Nations Reserve, Ontario, Canada) led the Limestone offense with six goals. Vyse tallied a team-high 12 goals in three DSC tournament games. Heavenor and senior attackman David Wooster (Annapolis, MD) added four goals and two assists each for Limestone, while Bobby Woody (Edgewater, MD) recorded four points on three goals and an assist.

Limestone outshot Catawba 56-29. The Saints collected 70 ground balls, compared to 40 ground balls for Catawba. Five players scored goals for the Indians. Catawba senior midfielder Craig Emory (Beltsville, MD) had two goals in his final appearance for the Indians.

Limestone sophomore goalkeeper Marty Ward (Syracuse, NY) played three periods (45 minutes), allowing only three Catawba goals. Ward recorded eight saves. Charlie Gray (Edgewater, MD) played the final quarter in goal for the Saints and recorded 4 saves. Catawba senior goal keeper Frank Fish (Damascus, Md.) played 53 minutes, facing 56 shots and allowing 23 goals. Fish recorded 16 saves.

Limestone improves to 13-0 overall. The Saints will see their next action on Saturday, April 30, when they take on Division I Bellarmine Univeristy on Saints Field. That game is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. and will be preceded by Senior Day festivities as Limestone honors its 12 graduating seniors.

APRIL 22, 2005 - SAINTS TOP KNIGHTS: WILL MEET CATAWBA IN DSC FINALS

WINGATE, NC: Limestone College and Catawba College won semifinal games in the 2005 Deep South Conference lacrosse tournament Friday afternoon at Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field on the Wingate campus. Top-seeded Limestone defeated St. Andrews Presbyterian College 25-10, while Catawba edged Queens University of Charlotte 11-10.

Limestone senior midfielder Robert Woody (Edgewater, Md.) had seven goals and two assists to lead the potent Saints attack. Limestone outscored St. Andrews 10-0 in the second period to break open a close game and take an 18-5 lead at intermission.

Woody scored five of his team-best seven goals in the first period as Limestone took an 8-5 lead after the first 15 minutes. Six different players scored in the second period for the Saints as they put the game out of reach.

Three Saints had four goals each: senior attackmen Roger Vyse (Six Nations Reserve, Ontario, Canada), David Wooster (Annapolis, Md.), and senior midfielder Patrick Cardiff (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) each tallied four goals for the Saints.

The Saints outshot the Knights 49-25. Limestone sophomore goalkeeper Marty Ward (Syracuse, N.Y.) went the distance in the nets for the Saints and tallied five saves.

St. Andrews senior goalkeeper Chris Sherman (Bel Air, Md.) also played sixty minutes. He notched 15 saves. On offense, Knights junior midfielder Pat Fitzgerald (Baltimore, Md.) had three goals for St. Andrews. The Knights conclude the 2005 season 5-11 overall, while the second ranked Saints improved to 12-0.

Catawba endured a lightning delay and a furious Queens comeback to take a hard-earned 11-10 victory. The Indians led 11-8 with two minutes-plus to play in the fourth period when lightning sent both teams to the locker rooms.

Queens freshman attackman Nick Mezzanotte scored twice in the final 25 seconds of regulation to make things very interesting. Mezzanotte's final goal came with 2.4 seconds to play. On the ensuing face-off, neither team was able to gain possession as time expired.

The Indians win sets up a rematch of last year's conference final. That championship game is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 24.

APRIL 19, 2005 - SAINTS CRUISE THROUGH ROUND ONE

GAFFNEY, SC: The Limestone College men's lacrosse team (11-0) hosted Lees-McRae college in first round action of the Deep South Tournament on Tuesday. The Saints cruised to a 19-2 win over the Bobcats. Limestone raced out to a 7-0 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. The Saints led 12-0 at the half. The Saints nearly shut the Bobcats out for 3 quarters, but Lees-McRae got on the board with an extra-man goal from Tyler Steiber with 8 seconds left in the period. Lees-McRae would take their final goal up two-men with 13:06 remaining in the game. Limestone controlled the ball very well in the final period, taking just two shots, one of those resulting in a Harley Beekman goal.

On the game Limestone out shot Lees-McRae 44-10 and won 22-of-23 face-offs. David Wooster tallied five points on 3 goals and an assist. Roger Vyse, Nolan Heavenor, and Harley Beekman each added 2 goals and an assist.

With the win, Limestone advances to play the winner of the Mars Hill and St. Andrews game on Friday. That semifinal matchup is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. on the Wingate University campus in Wingate, NC.

"We're ready to get after it this weekend," said Head Coach Chris Hasbrouck. "Mars Hill is very well coached and disciplined, and St. Andrews has some scorers and gave us our closest contest in the DSC this year." Limestone defeated St. Andrews 19-6 on Saints field earlier this season.

APRIL 16, 2005 - SAINTS WRAP UP 8TH STRAIGHT UNDEFEATED SESON IN DEEP SOUTH

GAFFNEY, SC: The Limestone College men's lacrosse team (10-0, 7-0) wrapped up their 8th consecutive undefeated regular season in Deep South Conference play with a 25-6 win over Pfeiffer University (3-8, 1-6) on Saturday.

Limestone's incredible conference winning streak now stands at 51 consecutive regular season games. If you include DSC Tournament games the winning streak stands at 58 consecutive games against Deep South Opponents.

Limestone scored the first five goals of the game before Pfeiffer's Trevor Krauss scored a pair of goals in the final 1:30 of the first quarter including one at the buzzer. In the second and third periods it was all Limestone as the Saints outscored the Falcons 9-1 in each of those frames to take a 23-4 lead. The two teams traded a pair of goals in the final period for the 25-6 final.

Roger Vyse, who currently leads the nation in goals and points per game, led the Saints with 4 goals and 3 assists while David Wooster added 5 goals and an assist. Bobby Woody found the net 3 times and added 2 assists. Nolan Heavenor and Pattrick Cardiff each tallied 5 points on 3 goals and 2 assists. Heavenor wrapped up an outstanding day by winnin 17-of-20 face-offs and collecting 18 groundballs.

Krauss scored 3 goals for Pfeiffer while a pair of Falcon goalies racked up 16 saves.

Limestone out shot Pfeiffer 53-14 and won 27-of-33. The Saints also picked up 62 groundballs compared to just 29 for the Falcons.

"We're looking forward to the tournament," said Head Coach Chris Hasbrouck. "Expectations continue to rise around here and our guys handle those expectations very well."

Limestone will look to take the first step towards their 7th consecutive DSC Championship as they host Lees-McRae College in the first round of the conference tournament. That game will be played Tuesday, April 19, on Saints Field and is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m

APRIL 9, 2005 - SAINTS MOVE TO 9 - 0

WHEELING, WV: The Limestone College men's lacrosse team (9-0) made the long trip to Wheeling, WV, on Saturday and came away with a 22-11 win over the Cardinals of Wheeling Jesuit University.

Limestone opened the game red hot. The first four shots for the Saints found the net and they rolled to a 14-5 lead at halftime. Wheeling Jesuit came out in the second half and matched Limestone's 4 goals in the third period, but the Saints lead was too great and Limestone was able to coast to the 21-11 win.

Limestone dominated on face-offs taking 29-of-33. The game was punctuated by 19 penalties, 10 for WJU and 9 for Limestone. Limestone was 4-of-10 on extra man opportunites while the Cardinals were 4-of-9. The Limestone attack outshot Wheeling Jesuit 45-34.

Nolan Heavenor scored 4 goals to go with 2 assists. Pat Cardiff tallied five points on 4 goals and 1 assist. Roger Vyse and David Wooster each netted 3 goals and had a pair off assists. Brad Patridge scored 3 goals for the Saints. Bobby Woody had 3 points on a goal and 2 assists. Kyle Zents found the net twice and Chris Wolf scored a goal for Limestone.

Tim Parker and Mark Greany led the Cardinals. Parker scored a goal and assist on 4 others. Greany scored three times for Wheeling Jesuit.

Marty Ward turned in another outstanding effort with 16 saves in the game. A pair of Cardinal goalkeepers combined for 18 saves.

"They played hard, and we lost our composure at times in the second half," said Head Coach Chris Hasbrouck. "This was a good win for us on a long road trip. It's good to come in here and get a big win."

Limestone will return to action on Saturday, April 16, when they host Pfeiffer University in a Deep South Conference contest. That game is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m.

APRIL 2, 2005 - SAINTS TOP KNIGHTS, 19-6

GAFFNEY, SC: The Limestone College men's lacrosse team (ranked 2nd in the nation) improved to 8-0 with a 19-6 win over St. Andrews Presbyterian College (3-10) on Saturday.

The Knights came out of the gate ready to play and took an early 2-1 lead when Bryan Riddell scored with 9:54 left in the first quarter. Limestone then rattled off eight unanswered goals to take command of the game. The Saints led 9-5 at the half.

In the third quarter St. Andrews held Limestone to just 3 goals, but the Saints responded in the 4th quarter by outscoring the Knights 7-0 to take the 19-6 win.

Limestone outshot St. Andrews 39-23 and won 20-of-29 faceoffs. David Wooster turned in an outstanding game for the Saints with 7 goals and 1 assist. Bobby Woody and Roger Vyse each scored 3 goals. Vyse added 2 assists, and Patrick Cardiff came off the bench to score 2 goals to go with 2 assists.. Nolan Heavenor tallied 2 assists and won 12-of-15 faceoffs.

Riddell scored a pair of goals for the St. Andrews attack. Limestone goalkeeper Marty Ward and his counterpart Chris Sherman each had 10 saves in goal.

"After looking at tape, we thought that St. Andrews would have the best attack that we have faced and they played very well today," said Head Coach Chris Hasbrouck. "This was a great test for us. We were not very sharp, but about midway through the 3rd period we came together and played very well."

Limestone will return to action Saturday, April 9, when they travel to Wheeling, WV, to take on Wheeling Jesuit University.

MARCH 30, 2005 - SAINTS CRUISE TO 31 - 1 WIN

BANNER ELK, NC: The Limestone College men's lacrosse team improved to 7-0 overall and 5-0 in the Deep South Conference with a 31-1 win over Lees-McRae College (1-6) on Wednesday.

Roger Vyse had a career high 9 goals as he led the Saints to the program's largest margin of victory. Limestone led 10-0 after the first quarter and 19-1 at halftime. Nik Nixon scored the Bobcats lone goal with 8:18 remaining in the second quarter.

Freshman, Brad Stelter scored his first 4 career goals. Bobby Woody also found the net four times. Vyse finished with 10 points on 9 goals and an assist. Woody tallied 9 points on 4 goals and 5 assists.

Limestone took 67 shots while the defense allowed just 11 for the Bobcats. Three Limestone goalkeepers combined to make 6 saves.

Limestone will return to action on Saturday when they host St. Andrews Presbyterian College in a Deep South Conference contest. That game is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. on Saints field.

MARCH 24, 2005 - SAINTS IMPROVE TO 6-0

WINGATE, NC: The Limestone College men's lacrosse team scored 13 unanswered goals en route to a 19-3 Deep South Conference victory over Wingate University Thursday afternoon at Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field on the Wingate campus.

The number two team in the NCAA Division II improved to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the DSC. Wingate fell to 1-6 overall and 1-2 in the DSC.

Wingate cut the Limestone lead to 6-2 on an unassisted goal by junior midfielder Chris Manwaring with 14:03 remaining in the second quarter. The Saints scored the final two goals of the half to take an 8-2 lead at halftime. Saints senior attacker Roger Vyse had three of his team-best six goals before intermission.

Limestone outscored Wingate 7-0 in the third period to put the game out of reach. Vyse and senior midfielders Patrick Cardiff and Robert Woody had two goals each for the Saints in the third frame.

The Saints outshot the Bulldogs 47-17. Vyse had six goals to lead Limestone. Cardiff and Woody had four goals each. Limestone senior attacker David Wooster made several big plays dishing out a game-high seven assists.

Limestone senior midfielder Nolan Heavenor added two goals and three assists. The Saints used four goalkeepers. DSC Defensive Player of the Week Marty Ward played the first half, allowing two goals and recording three saves.

For Wingate, Manwaring led the way with two goals. Bulldog sophomore attack Josh Hatchell scored Wingate's final goal with 17.7 seconds to play in the fourth period. Wingate freshman goalkeeper David Suthers played 55-plus minutes. He allowed 19 goals and recorded 12 saves.

Limestone will return to action when they visit visits Lees-McRae College on Wednesday, March 30. That game is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. in Banner Elk, NC.

MARCH 19, 2005 - SAINTS SCORE NINE IN 4TH QUARTER: TAKE FIRST WIN OVER ADELPHI

ANNAPOLIS, MD: The Limestone College lacrosse team traveled to Annapolis today for their biggest game of the young season. The second ranked Saints squared off with the sixth ranked Panthers searching for the program's first win over Adelphi. The Panthers led the series 5-0. However, the last meeting came in the 2001 national championship game, a 14-10 Panthers' victory, meaning none of the current Saints have played against the Panthers.

Today the Saints used an explosive offense that put nine goals on the board in the fourth quarter to top Adelphi by a score of 19-12.

The Panthers led 3-2 at the end of the first quarter, and extended that lead to 5-2 with 10:52 to play in the half. After Bobby Woody tied the game at 5 with a man-up goal with just over a minute to go in the half, Roger Vyse scored a spectacular goal with 1 tick left on the clock to give the Saints a 6-5 edge at the half.

In the third period, the game swayed back-and-forth. Adelphi's Wesley Green matched Vyse's heroics when he found the net with 1 second remaining in the period to tie the contest at 10.

In the fourth period, Limestone's offense took off. Limestone opened the period with a pair of goals in the first three minutes to take a 12-10 lead. After the Panthers pulled to within one at 12-11, Limestone rattled off 7 unanswered scores to run away with the win. Adelphi added a late goal to cap the scoring at 19-12.

Vyse led the Saints' attack with an outstanding 9 points on 6 goals and 3 assists. David Wooster and Bobby Woody followed close behind with 7 points apiece. Wooster scored 4 goals to go with 3 assists, while Woody finished with 5 goals and 2 assists. Nolan Heavenor added 3 goals and 2 assists for Limestone. Marty Ward was also outstanding in goal for the Saints. Ward finished with 18 saves including 6 in the final period.

Adelphi was led by Wesley Green and Gregory Kalberer. Green found the net 5 times while Kalberer tallied 2 goals and 4 assists.

Head Coach Chris Hasbrouck was excited about a big win. "This was a lot of fun. I'm proud of the guys. They worked awfully hard to prepare for this. We had a great fourth quarter and our offense kind of wore them down."

The Game also marked Assistant Coach Chris Campbell's final game on the sidelines for the Saints. Campbell is one of two 4-time All-Americans in the history of Limestone College Athletics. A 2001 graduate of Limestone, Coach Campbell served for 3 seasons as an assistant coach.

Limestone will return to action on Thursday, March 24, when they travel to Wingate, NC, for a Deep South Conference match up with the Wingate University Bulldogs. That game is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.

MARCH 12, 2005 - SAINTS TAKE DEEP SOUTH VICTORY

GAFFNEY, SC: The Limestone College men's lacrosse team, ranked 2nd in the nation, improved to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the Deep South Conference with a 22-5 win over Queens University of Charlotte.

The Royals held the Saints to just two goals in the game's first 10 minutes, but Limestone netted three goals in the final five minutes of the first period to lead 5-0. The Saints stretched their lead to 7-0 before Owen Ham found Joshua Bryce for the Royals first goal. Limestone would lead 10-2 at halftime. The Saints then outscored the Royals 12-3 in the second half to earn the 22-5 win.

Limestone outshot Queens 48-24 and won 22-of-30 face-offs. The Saints were successful on 6-of-8 extra man opportunities, while Queens scored on 1-of-2 man-up situations.

Roger Vyse and Nolan Heavenor led the offense with 5 goals and 3 assists a piece. Heavenor also won 14-of-16 face-offs. Bobby Woody added 5 goals and 2 assists. Marty Ward made 9 saves against 16 shots in goal for the Saints.

Bryce scored twice for the Royals. Alexander Tack, David Overberg, and Nick Mezzanotte also scored for Queens. Mezzanotte added an assist as well. Joel Heimbigner recorded 15 saves in goal for the Royals.

"Queens played hard all day," said Head Coach Chris Hasbrouck. "They have some very talented players, but we moved the ball well and our depth wore them down. I though we had a very solid second half"

The Saints will return to action on Saturday, March 19, when they travel to Baltimore, MD to take on Adelphi. That game is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. at Broadneck High School. Coach Hasbrouck was excited about the upcoming matchup. "I'm looking forward to a great opponent. This will be a great test for us and we will know where we stand after that game."

MARCH 5, 2005 - SAINTS KNOCK OF #8 DOWLING

MYRTLE BEACH, SC: The Limestone College men's lacrosse team faced their toughest challenge of the young season on Saturday. The second ranked Saints hosted eighth ranked Dowling in the Sportsmanship cup held in Myrtle Beach. After a hard fought battle, Limestone came away with a 15-10 victory for their fourth straight win in the annual event. Dowling took their lone win in the series in 1998.

Dowling came out hot and led Limestone 5-3 at the end of the first quarter, but Limestone got back up and took a 9-6 margin at halftime. Ball control and strong defense held Dowling to just four goals in the second half.

Limestone won 17-of-25 face-offs and was successful on 4-of-9 extra man attempts. Dowling scored on 2-of-4 extra man opportunities.

"This was a hard fought battle," said Head Coach Chris Hasbrouck. "This was a real test for us. They are a hard nosed team, and both teams played a good lacrosse game. We kept our composure, executed our offense and controlled the ball really well down the stretch."

Limestone's seniors led the way offensively David Wooster and Nolan Heavenor each tallied four goals and an assist. Roger Vyse added four points on two goals and two assists, while Bobby Woody scored a goal to go with two assists. Marty Ward made 16 saves in goal for the Saints.

Ryan Campbell and Chris DuPiznac led Dowling's offense. Campbell scored three goals and assisted on another, while DuPiqnac scored two goals and had an assist.

FEBRUARY 26, 2005 - SAINTS PUMMEL LIONS

MARS HILL, NC: The Lions' lacrosse team lost to visiting Limestone College this afternoon in Meares Stadium by a score of 28-2. Limestone is ranked second in the NCAA Division II national rankings.

The Saints (2-0/2-0) jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the first quarter and then extended that advantage to 14-1 heading into the intermission. Limestone came out in the third quarter and out scored the Lions 8-1 to lead 22-2 going into the final period. Limestone held MHC scoreless in the final stanza and added six additional goals to make the final tally, 28-2.

David Wooster (Annapolis, MD) led the Saints with five goals and three assists. Nolan Heavenor (Victoria, BC) followed with five goals and two assists. Freshman Brock Spilker (Pasadena, MD) added four goals and an assist in the win. Marty Ward (Syracuse, NY) made 11 saves in goal for the Saints.

Miles Robinson (Hicksville, NY) and Matthew DeCaire (Milton, Ont.) scored the Lions' two goals. Matt Holthaus (Churchville, MD) made 16 saves in goal for MHC.

The Saints will return to action on Saturday, March 5, when they travel to Myrtle Beach, SC, to take on nationally ranked Dowling College in a neutral site competition.

FEBRUARY 19, 2005 - SAINTS CRUSH INDIANS

GAFFNEY, SC: The Limestone College men's lacrosse team opened the 2005 season with a big conference game on Saturday. Today's game featured the Deep South's unanimous #1 against the preseason #2 Catawba College Indians in a rematch of last season's conference finals. Limestone, ranked 2nd in the nation, left no doubt about who the top team in the league is as they took a 26-5 win.

Limestone's offense, which features four preseason All-Americans, was as good as advertised. Attackman Roger Vyse stole the show with a career high 8 goals to go with 4 assists. Bobby Woody found the net 4 times while David Wooster scored 3 goals. Catawba was led by Curt Green and Randall Worthington who each scored a pair of goals.

Limestone led 6-1 after the first period and put the game out of reach with a 9-0 second period to give the Saints a 15-1 edge at halftime. The Saints stretched their lead to 22-1 after three periods, before the Indians matched their four goals in the final period for the 26-5 final.

Limestone outshot Catawba 58-21 and won 20-of-34 faceoffs. Marty Ward recorded 10 saves in goal for the Saints while Catawba's Frank Fish finished with 18.

Head Coach Chris Hasbrouck was happy to have his first win at the helm for the Saints. "It was an exciting day. Our guys have been working hard and this game was a testament to them. Catawba is a very good team with some great athletes, but our guys were prepared and played a great game."

Limestone will return to action on Saturday, February 26, when they travel to Mars Hill, NC, to take on the Mars Hill College Lions in Deep South Conference action. That game is scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m.