TOWSON, Md. – Matt Nilan's 18 saves in goal led the No. 17 Towson University men's lacrosse team to a solid 12-8 victory vs. Navy in the team's home opener.
 
The game was tied at 3-3 at halftime with Towson (1-1) having 12 saves to that point.  At 6-6 late in the third quarter, Towson scored five of the next six against Navy (1-1) to surge ahead and take the win.
 
Key Stats

• Towson had 18 saves compared to Navy's nine and kept Navy at 0-4 on extra-man opportunities.  Navy forced 11 turnovers on 21 total turnovers for Towson while Towson had six caused turnovers for Navy's 13.
• Matt Nilan earned the win in goal with 18 saves and eight goals allowed.  Jake Law caused three turnovers on close defense.
• Joaquin Villagomez finished with three goals and an assist while Alex Roussel also notched a hat trick.  Mikey Weisshaar led all players in points with five off two goals and three assists.
• On the faceoff-X, Kai Lopez was 13-for-21, primarily battling against Patriot League Preseason Faceoff Player of the Year Zach Hayashi, who was 9-for-13 for Navy.  In total, Towson was 13-of-24 on faceoffs as a team.
• For Navy, Mac Haley led the Mids with three goals and an assist.  The loss went to Dan Daly, who had nine saves and 12 goals allowed.

Postgame Quotes – Towson Head Coach Shawn Nadelen

• "Excited for our guys.  We knew we'd be tested very hard with a Navy team that is tough all over the field, especially with its 10-man ride.  Our guys were mentally tougher than where they were on Tuesday night.  Solid, tough win."
• "Matt Nilan was a difference maker.  In a game like this, goalies are so important, and he was feeling it.  After having a tough start last year against Navy, he was looking for a little redemption."

How it Happened

• Towson got off to a fast start in the game with Will Schoonmaker scoring on the first possession near the end of the shot clock on a wrap around on the doorstep.  After Navy scored two minutes later, Kai Lopez won a faceoff and quickly dropped off to Joaquin Villagomez for the goal, putting Towson up 2-1 just over three minutes in.
• Action went back and forth with no scoring for over 10 minutes, including each side fending off a man-down situation.  After Navy's lone first quarter goal, Matt Nilan saved the next four shots through the end of the period.  Owen Scott added a goal on a shot just below the crossbar in the closing minutes of the first to give Towson a 3-1 lead after one.
• The early action of the second quarter saw Nilan continuing to make saves, but the Navy ride forced two turnovers and kept the ball on offense.  Towson found ways to break the ride but saved and wide shots kept the advantage at two.  Navy broke through in the closing minutes of the half with two goals in a span of 45 seconds to tie the game at 3-3, the eventual halftime score.
• After some early back and forth play to begin the third quarter, Villagomez broke the stalemate with a catch and shoot from a behind-the-cage pass from Mikey Weisshaar.  Navy got the goal back a minute later, then Lopez again burst from a faceoff win to score on the run for a 5-4 Towson lead, 9:53 left in the third. 
• A couple of Towson turnovers stopped possessions in the following minutes as the two sides would trade goals.  At 6-6 in the final minute of the third on an unsettled clear, Weisshaar found Ryan Schrier in the center of the fan for the catch and shoot goal, giving Towson the lead 7-6 after three.
• Nick Sweeney forced a turnover in the first minute of the fourth, leading to Alex Roussel spinning off his defender and scoring on a low laser.  The run continued as Weisshaar added a goal off a high shot and score, completing the 3-0 run and putting Towson up 9-6 with 9:14 to play.
• Navy got a goal back with 7:46 to play.  Jake Law forced a turnover on defense to send Towson back to offense, where Roussel scored his second after his defender fell and freed the senior near the doorstep.   Almost 2:30 later, Roussel added another on man-up off the catch and shoot to push Towson's lead to four at 11-7 with 3:34 to play.
• Following a Navy timeout, a long Navy possession led to an Alec Gregorek goal with 2:24 to play.  Nilan saved another Gregorek attempt with 1:32 at Towson looked to finish.  Villagomez added a final goal with 1:16 to go as Navy's goalie was out-of-cage trying to force a turnover as Towson took the 12-8 victory.

Inside the Numbers

• Matt Nilan's 18 saves is his career-high and the most for a Towson goalie in a single game since Evan Long had 20 saves in a 10-8 victory at Hofstra on April 8, 2023.
• Mikey Weisshaar has had at least four points in each of his first two games.  He is now tied for fourth all-time in career goals in Towson history with 113, tying with Jonathan Engelke from 2004-08.  In addition, Weisshaar has at least one point in his last 41 games.
• Joaquin Villagomez earns his first hat trick since May 2, 2024 vs. Drexel.  That game, Villagomez had four goals and two assists.
• Navy was receiving votes in the USILA Coaches Poll coming into the game.  It is the third straight time Towson has defeated Navy at Unitas.

Next Meet

• Towson heads north to Philadelphia for a contest at Saint Joseph's on Friday, Feb. 20 at 5 p.m.