GWYNEDD VALLEY, Pa.- The Juniata men's lacrosse team lost on the road at Gwynedd Mercy, 16-8, Saturday afternoon.
Aiden Duran (Walden, N.Y. / Valley Central) totaled two goals, an assist, three ground balls, and a caused turnover, while Jack M Loucks (Toronto, Canada / Minden) tallied two goals, an assist, and two ground balls. Kolton Black (Mount Airy, Md. / South Carroll) had a goal, three ground balls, and a caused turnover whole Vincent Bechler (East Brunswick, NJ / East Brunswick) had three assists and five ground balls, while Jake Rivoir (Greenlawn, N.Y. / Harborfields) amassed two goals and two ground balls. Reuben Stoll (Bethesda, Md. / Walt Whitman) tacked on a goal, two ground balls, and a caused turnover. Gavin Jackson (Ocean City, N.J. / Ocean City) made ten saves in goal for the Eagles, while Ryan Madison (Wilmington, Del. / Conrad School of Science) added four during his time in goal.
Loucks scored the game's first goal to put the Eagles on the front foot, but the Griffins responded with three goals over the next four minutes to take the lead. Duran scored a man-up goal off an assist from Bechler, but the Griffins responded with another three goals. Loucks scored off a Walker Bredickas (West Grove, Pa. / Avon Grove) assist to bring JC within three after one.
The Griffins scored the first two goals of the quarter, but JC would get the final two goals of the half as Black scored off a Duran helper, and Stoll found the back of the net on a Bechler assist. Juniata trailed 8-5 at the halftime break.
Gwynedd Mercy had three of the four goals of the third, with Rivoir providing the lone bright spot offensively for the Eagles.
Five straight Griffin goals to open the fourth put the game out of reach for the Eagles. Rivoir and Duran both added their second goals of the game in the final two and half minutes.
The Griffins had a 49-36 edge in ground balls and outshot the Eagles 60-32.
The men's lacrosse team returns home to take on Hood, Saturday at 4:00.
