PHILADELPHIA – In a matchup between two teams receiving votes in the USILA Coaches Poll, the Towson University men's lacrosse team used a dominant first half to overpower Saint Joseph's 15-7 for the Tigers' third straight victory.
 
Towson (3-1) had a seven-goal first quarter, its highest single played period of the year, en route to having an eight point lead at the half at Saint Joseph's (0-3).  Up six going into the fourth quarter, the defense did not allow a goal in the final 15 minutes to take the win.
 
Key Stats:

• Though Saint Joseph's outshot Towson 44-30, Luke Downs notched 13 saves in goal to the home team's three.  Downs got the victory, adding five ground balls.
• Towson's defense caused 11 turnovers.  Three Tigers had two caused turnovers each, including Pennsylvania-native Sam Morin, adding a ground ball.
• Mikey Weisshaar scored four goals on as many shots on goal, adding an assist.  Joaquin Villagomez finished with three goals and an assist while Josh Webber had a goal and four assists.
• Matt Constantinides won 13-of-24 faceoffs for eight ground balls.
• For Saint Joseph's, Levi Anderson had four of the team's seven goals.  Shayne Ryan had the loss in goal, not having a save and having 11 goals allowed in 26:35 of play.

How It Happened:

• Towson got a quick start to the game as Josh Webber found Bode Maurer for the shot and score 47 seconds into the contest.  Matt Constantinides won another faceoff as Towson used the shot clock this go around.  Nick DeMaio, with five on the shot clock, scored on a bouncing shot low to make it 2-0 Towson minutes into the game.
• Towson defended against a man-down situation as Colby Barsz and Joe Petro combined to clear a player down.  Joaquin Villagomez, with Towson back to full strength, scored on the low shot, then the next possession, Mikey Weisshaar scored from the right post on another low shot to give Towson a 4-0 lead, prompting St. Joe's to call timeout at 7:46 left in the 1^st.
• Constantinides kept the Towson pressure going with a won faceoff, as Maurer scored on a second chance effort from Villagomez.  Then Villagomez added another goal of his own as he scored while being knocked down to give Towson a 6-0 lead with 4:43 left in the 1^st.
• St. Joseph's got on the board, then Towson quickly got the goal back as Joe Meidling took a won faceoff and scored on the run.  The Tigers held off a man-up situation by the Hawks to have a 7-1 lead after one.
• Into the second quarter, St. Joe's scored two quick goals to pull within four.  Conor Spagnolli forced a turnover on the Hawks on the goal circle as Towson cleared.  Again as the shot clock was coming down, DeMaio scored on a laser from Webber to get Towson's lead back to five.
• The Tigers drew a holding call for a man-up chance.  Webber found Villagomez for the laser shot and score under the crossbar.  After Pennsylvania's own Sam Morin forced a turnover, Towson cleared and headed to offense.  Weisshaar scored on a dive to the cage, giving Towson double digit goals at 10-3 with 4:06 left in the half.
• A minute later, Chop Gallagher got to the left side of cage and scored close range.  Towson took an 11-3 lead into halftime.
• St. Joe's won the second half opening faceoff and scored on a shot inside the right pipe, adding another a couple minutes later on a man-up chance.  Towson got a goal back after Weisshaar ran towards the cage right side.  While man-down, James Azbill forced a turnover as Towson cleared.  Weisshaar ran from midfield to the cage to score man-down to return Towson's lead to eight at 13-5.
• The home team took advantage of a man-up situation and scored, adding another off the next possession to get within six.  Towson held twice on man-down to keep a 13-7 lead going into the fourth.
• Spagnolli set an early tone of the fourth with a caused turnover and clear while man-down.  The next St. Joe's possession, Luke Downs saved a shot on the doorstep as the shot clock was at two.  The other way, a dropoff from Weisshaar to Webber led to the latter burying a narrow angle shot for a 14-7 Towson lead with 11:24 to play.
• The defense continued to hold off the Hawks in the fourth quarter, forcing turnovers then Downs making saves.  Reece Potter got the exclamation point with a goal in the closing minutes to give Towson the 15-7 win.

Inside the Numbers:

• Towson has won its last three games by an average of 10 goals each.
• Seven goals in the first quarter is the most amount of goals for Towson in a quarter since netting eight goals in the third vs. Hampton on Apr. 15, 2023.

Next Game:

• Towson heads down to Charles Street to battle Baltimore rival Loyola on Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m.

- TowsonTigers.com –