WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Junior Peter Pluta (Honeoye Falls, N.Y./Honeoye Falls-Lima) notched two goals and an assist to lead the Lycoming College men's lacrosse team, but a run of nine straight goals helped Messiah College post a 16-5 MAC Commonwealth win at the Shangraw Athletic Complex on Wednesday, April 6.
 
The Warriors (2-7 overall, 1-1 MAC Commonwealth) got out to a quick start, with senior Mike Cooper (Riva, Md./Archbishop Spalding) finding Pluta, who ripped a shot into the left corner with 11:06 left in the first quarter. Freshman Travis Rode (Kinnelon, N.J./Kinnelon) added another goal less than a minute later off a give from senior Sean Reilly (Corning, N.Y./Corning Painted Post West).
 
After Messiah (5-5 overall, 1-1 MAC Commonwealth) got on the board with 3:49 left, Pluta added an unassisted tally as he spun in front of the net and fired a low shot into the net from the right side. Messiah answered just 18 seconds later and tied the game with 22 seconds left in the quarter off a score from Matthew Franken.
 
Pluta found Tim Breau for a score just 32 seconds into the second quarter, but Messiah responded with four straight goals over the next 10 minutes to take a 7-4 lead. With 1:28 left in the second quarter, Cooper found Reilly for a score to make it 7-5 at the break.
 
In the second half, though, Messiah, which took 27 shots in the half, was able to separate with nine straight goals, including seven in the third quarter.
 
Cooper finished with two assists and Reilly added a goal and an assist to go with a team-high four ground balls. Junior Kyle Armstrong (Manchester, Md./Manchester Valley) won 9-of-18 faceoffs and picked up three ground balls and both freshman Austin Arroyo (Shillington, Pa./Governor Mifflin) and senior Michael Wagner (Pasadena, Md./St. Mary's) also added three ground balls. Freshman Eric Schutta (Frenchtown, N.J./Delaware Valley Regional) caused two turnovers.
 
Blake Knobloch led the Falcons with four goals and an assist and Trey Henshaw scored three times. Isaac Zorn had two goals, an assist and two caused turnovers. Both Franken and Joseph Franken added two goals and Ryan Van Bochove had two assists. Dean Patton led Messiah with five ground balls, as the team scooped up 29.
 
Freshman Joshua Tscheulin (Lusby, Md./Patuxent) (1-3) notched four saves in the first half and freshman Michael Tenant (Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall) stopped eight in the second half for the Warriors. Messiah's Sam Stengel (3-4) finished with seven saves to earn the win.
 
The Warriors get back on the field on Saturday, April 9, when they head to Widener for a MAC Commonwealth game at 1 p.m.