Central Ohio Today

The Malone University men's lacrosse team played the first Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) game in program history on Saturday.

The Pioneers braved cold temperatures, snow, and brutal wind gusts when they welcomed the Davis & Elkins College Senators to King Field. 

Unfortunately it was a late goal by D&E in the fourth quarter that proved to be the difference in the one point loss for Malone. 

THE ESSENTIALS

• Final Score: Davis & Elkins College Senators 12 - Malone University Pioneers 11
• Records: Davis & Elkins (2-7, 1-0 G-MAC) | Malone (5-3, 0-1 G-MAC)
• Location: Canton | Pioneer Park - King Field

THE GAME

Zac Smargiasso was involved early and often in Malone's offensive attack. It took less than five minutes for the freshman to score the opening goal of the game. 

He would go on to score three more times, and assist on another score for the Pioneers. 

Ramsey Burnard also had a first quarter goal for MU. 

Unfortunately the Senators were able to get three scores on their end to take the early 3-2 lead. 

Burnard found the back of the net two more times in the second quarter. Smargiasso and Talon Heath also scored in the second quarter for Malone to help make it a 6-6 game at the halftime break. 

It took less than thirty seconds into the third quarter for the Senators to break the tie. 

However, Kenny Kaiser and Heath answered with back-to-back Pioneer goals to put MU up 8-7 with 7:46 left to play in the quarter. 

Late in the quarter Smargiasso answered consecutive D&E goals with his third of the game, and the teams headed to the final 15 minutes deadlocked at 9-9. 

The Senators got on the board first in the fourth quarter, but that was quickly answered by scores from Heath and Smargiasso.

Malone held an 11-10 lead for the majority of the fourth quarter, but Davis & Elkins scored twice in the final four minutes of the game to escape King Field with the 12-11 win. 

DETAILS

• Zac Smargiasso led Malone with 4 goals. The freshman has now scored multiple goals in all but one game this season. 
• Talon Heath equaled Smargiasso's point total with 3 goals and 2 assists. He continues to lead the G-MAC with 49 points this season. 
• Ramsey Burnard added 3 goals. He has scored at least two goals in every game this season. He also had a team-high four caused turnovers defensively.
• Kenny Kaiser rounded out the scoring for Malone with the 20th goal of his freshman campaign. 
• Micah Pennington was 13-27 in the face-off circle, and led the Pioneers with 10 ground balls. 
• Phillip Bell added 22 saves to his G-MAC leading total of 152 this season.

Original source can be found here