College Men’s Lacrosse Final – #13 Washington and Lee 13, Guilford 8

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) scoring leader A.J. Witherell scored four points on three goals and an assist in Washington and Lee University’s 13-8 men’s lacrosse win at Guilford College Wednesday.

The Generals (13-3, 8-0 ODAC) are ranked 13th in this week’s United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association NCAA Division III Poll. They rallied from a 5-1 second-quarter deficit to stay unbeaten in league play.

Guilford (9-7, 3-5 ODAC) grabbed a 3-0 lead behind goals by Aswan Bland, Joe Eggleston, and Zach Berkowitz. Washington and Lee’s Jones Veith netted the first of his three scores to put the Generals on the board with 5:04 left in the first frame. Guilford’s Bryce Craig closed the quarter with the first of his team-best two tallies, which opened a 4-1 Quakers’ advantage.

After Connor Sweeney netted the second quarter’s first goal, Washington and Lee reeled off 11 of the game’s next 12 tallies. Sophomore Jake Hodgson’s dominance in the face-off circle helped the Generals maintain possession for most of the middle-two quarters. Jack Ware’s goal 3:14 before halftime gave Washington and Lee its first lead of the game, 6-5.

Guilford’s Craig scored 2:14 into the second half to tie the game at 6-6, but Witherell fed Thomas Zusi nearly two minutes later, which triggered a decisive 7-0 Generals’ outburst.

Witherell, Veith, Sam Dardani each tallied three times and Zusi added three points (2g, 1a) off the bench. Hodgson won 20-of-23 draws and collected a game-high nine ground balls. Defender Paul Callahan helped limit the Quakers to four goals in the final three quarters with five pickups and three caused turnovers. Will Atkins replaced Washington and Lee starter Jake Taylor in goal 17:40 into the game and made all of his team’s six saves while yielding only three goals.

Craig and Berkowitz both scored twice for the Quakers. Parker Styles made 16 saves and five ground balls in goal. Will Forrestal caused three miscues and picked up five ground balls.

Coach Tom Carmean’s Quakers host Randolph-Macon College Saturday (4/28) at 4:00 p.m. in a league-game with postseason tournament implications for both squads.