SALISBURY, N.C. (Feb. 8) – Despite battling back from an early deficit on Saturday, the No. 20 ranked University of Mount Olive men's lacrosse program dropped a 14-11 decision at Catawba in non-conference action in the season-opener.
With the loss, the Trojans start the 2025 campaign with a 0-1 record after tying for second in the preseason Conference Carolinas poll. Catawba snaps an 11-game losing streak in the series while claiming its first win over UMO since 2013. Meanwhile, the Catawba Indians improve to 2-0 overall with a pair of victories over Conference Carolinas opponents.
Junior
Benjamin Vanderkley recorded four points on three goals and one assist with four ground balls. Fifth Year
Jack Lewis and graduate student
Zachary Taylor each tallied two goals while junior
Joshua Dewart had a two-point performance with one goal and one assist.
In the first quarter, Catawba established an early 2-0 advantage before Vanderkley netted the opening goal of the season off an assist by Dewart at the 4:05 mark, 2-1. Catawba scored in the final minutes to take a 3-1 edge into the second quarter. Trailing by a 4-1 margin at the 11:19 mark, Mount Olive registered three unanswered goals to tie the contest at 4-4 with junior
Micaiah Boyle, Vanderkley, and freshman
Brayden Rieger scoring goals. Catawba recorded three goals in the final six-plus minutes to take a 7-4 advantage into the break.
The sides traded the initial four goals of the third quarter with Lewis opening his goal-scoring account and Vanderkley completing the hat trick, 9-6. Catawba produced another late stretch of goals to extend its lead to 12-6 entering the final 15 minutes. Mount Olive delivered three of the next four goals to close the gap to 13-9, as Dewart, Taylor, and sophomore
Chase Penner each netted a goal. Catawba added an insurance goal at the 2:30 mark of the fourth before the Trojans fell short despite two goals in the final two minutes, 14-11.
Junior
Kurtis Lensing suffered the loss after collecting 14 saves on 40 shots faced in 60 minutes of action. Additionally, junior
Nicolas Logue finished 8-of-12 on faceoffs while redshirt senior
Josh Mauer claimed 7-of-17 faceoffs.
The Trojans will host their home-opener on Wednesday, Feb. 12, versus Virginia State in non-conference play at Ray McDonald Sr. Sports Complex at 4 p.m.
