TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University men's lacrosse team proved to be the stronger Black & Gold Baltimore County team with a decisive 17-7 victory vs. UMBC on Saturday afternoon.
 
Towson (4-2) took command with a 6-0 run in the second quarter to lead by six at halftime vs. UMBC (1-2).  UMBC pulled to within five just past midway through the third quarter, then Towson scored six of the final seven goals to earn the win.
 
Key Stats:

• Towson outshot UMBC 39-29 in the game, also winning the faceoff battle 16-10.
• Nick DeMaio matched a career-high with nine points off four goals and five assists, adding two ground balls and a caused turnover.  Mikey Weisshaar led all players with five goals, adding an assist and two ground balls.  Bode Maurer notched a hat trick while Alex Roussel finished with two goals and two assists.
• On defense, the Tigers caused 13 turnovers, led by Conor Spagnolli with three caused turnovers and four ground balls.  Colby Barsz also caused three turnovers, scooping two ground balls and scoring a goal.  They helped protect Luke Downs, who got the win with nine saves and seven goals allowed in 57:30 of play.  Matt Nilan finished in goal with 2:30 of scoreless play.
• Matt Constantinides led the Tigers at the faceoff-X going 13-for-20 with seven ground balls while Rocco Mareno was 3-for-6 with two ground balls.
• For UMBC, Mateo Brown had two goals and four ground balls.  Jayson Tingue got the loss in goal, having 10 saves and 17 goals allowed.

How It Happened:

• UMBC struck first in the game 99 seconds in, then a second chance for Towson saw Nick DeMaio score on a low shot in the left corner.  For the next six-and-a-half minutes, each side battled, including each side stopping the other on a clear attempt.
• Mikey Weisshaar broke the stalemate with just under six minutes left in the first with a goal on the run off a screen.  Towson's defense pressured UMBC, with Conor Spagnolli forcing a turnover on Mike Doughty then the Towson ride stopping two UMBC clear chances.  In the closing seconds of the quarter, Josh Webber found DeMaio on the goal circle.  DeMaio juked out the goalie and scored with two seconds left in the first for a 3-1 Towson lead.
• UMBC scored on its opening possession of the second to pull within one.  Towson quickly countered as Weisshaar sprinted from the substitution box and went to goal for the score.  Towson's defense again took command as Joe Meidling and Spagnolli each caused turnovers to stop UMBC possessions.  After Spagnolli's caused turnover, Alex Roussel dropped a pass off to Colby Barsz following the clear.  Barsz heaved the long stick and scored for a 5-2 Towson lead with 10:42 left in the second.
• Barsz's goal then a forced turnover sparked a Towson attack as Roussel netted a low shot past the keeper's feet.  39 seconds later, DeMaio found Bode Maurer in front of the cage for the catch and shoot goal.  Towson again notched a couple of goals in the span of a minute, first another Roussel goal after emerging from behind the cage, then Weisshaar scoring on a shot in the top right.  UMBC scored with 3:24 left in the quarter as Towson took a 9-3 lead into halftime.
• Starting the third man-up, Webber got wide open next to the goal circle, received the pass from DeMaio and scored 33 seconds into the half.  Minutes later, off a scrum near the goal circle, DeMaio picked up the ground ball and scored for an 11-3 Towson lead with 11:27 left in the third.
• With seven minutes left in the third, UMBC rolled off three goals in a span of 35 seconds to pull within five, prompting Towson to call a timeout up 11-6 with 6:25 left in the third.
• Towson got back a goal with 4:58 left as Weisshaar got inside his defender on a run to the cage from the right side, scoring point blank.  Towson defended the rest of the quarter, including a Luke Downs save and a Reece Potter caused turnover, to send the game into the fourth with Towson leading 12-6.
• Weisshaar netted his fifth goal a minute into the fourth as Towson kept control, with Downs saving two shots in the following minutes.  Towson looked to its third midfield line as Alex Vieni got open on the left side and scored his first career goal as Towson led 14-6 with 10 minutes to play.
• UMBC scored with 8:53 left, with Towson continuing to win faceoffs and got possessions.  Towson notched three consecutive goals, including two more by Maurer, to lead by 10.  Towson's defense locked down the rest of the way for the 17-7 win.

Inside the Numbers:

• Nick DeMaio has had two nine-point performances off four goals and five assists this year, having the same stat line vs. Navy on Feb. 17.
• Close defender Colby Barsz earns his second career goal, having a goal vs. Hampton on Apr. 15, 2023.  He also moved into tenth all-time in Towson history with 50 career caused turnovers.
• Mikey Weisshaar has earned at least four goals in three games this season.
• Towson's 10-goal win is the largest margin of victory for the Tigers vs. UMBC since Apr. 19, 1996, a 27-15 win at home.
• This is the second game this season where three different Tigers earned a hat trick.  Three Tigers had at least three goals in the victory vs. Navy on Feb. 17.
• In Towson's three games at home in 2024, the Tigers have outscored their competition 49-17.

Next Game:

• Towson is back at Unitas on Saturday, March 9 to challenge No. 2 Virginia at noon.
• To purchase tickets or if you have any questions regarding tickets, visit https://am.ticketmaster.com/towson/ or call the Towson Athletics ticket office at 410-704-4501.

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