URI Club Lacrosse put up 15 goals in a dominant senior night win. PHOTO CREDIT: Ronan Himelrick | Managing Editor
Senior Night for the University of Rhode Island Club Men’s Lacrosse team proved to be a test for the entire team as they hosted UMass Dartmouth last Thursday night.
The game honored Andrew Sajdak, David Lamb, Ryan Loring, Anthony Guarino, Hunter Billings, and Nathan Winter, the six fourth-years who suited up for their final game at Meade Stadium.
The game started fast for Rhode Island; Second-year Patrick Grover found the back of the net 42 seconds into the game and captured a quick 1-0 lead for the Rams. Fourth-year Anthony Guarino continued this momentum with a goal of his own just a minute later. The goal served as the 100th of his Rhode Island career.
“[The 100th goal] definitely feels good,” Guarino said. “Especially after [the conditions we played in] two seasons ago with COVID and half a season, so it definitely feels good. I’ve been waiting for it for a long time, [and I] did it for the Grandma.”
Later in the first quarter, Grover struck again, scoring his second goal of the night. Just 38 seconds later, first-year Zach Petit buried a goal of his own, moving the score to 4-0 Rhode Island. Dartmouth found the back of the net before time was up, finishing the first quarter with a 4-1 deficit.
The second quarter allowed Rhode Island to build off of their momentum, tallying two goals in the first two minutes. Third-year Adrian Rutkowski and Freshman Davis Lee opened the second quarter scoring, going back to back.
Dartmouth scored their second and third goals of the night in the middle of the quarter, however Rhode Island’s Petit scored his second goal of the night to separate them. Senior David Lamb also scored in the second quarter, with two minutes and eleven seconds left in the half.
Lamb’s goal then set up the improbable. Rhode Island’s faceoff specialist, Fourth-year Nathan Winter, won the faceoff and sprinted down the field. Winter wound up and fired a shot that found the back of the net, scoring his only second goal of the year and erupting the crowd in attendance. The goal gave Rhode Island a 9-3 lead at halftime.
“It was Senior Night, man,” Winter sighed in positive disbelief. “Defending the home field, [scoring] felt really good. I won [the faceoff] forward and I knew I had it. Took that high bouncer and saw it hit the back of the net, the boys lit up… it was great.”
Head Coach Larry Madeira also enjoyed watching Winters score a rare goal on his Senior Night.
“Nathan’s always been really supportive, his family’s always been really supportive, they’re always at the games,” Madeira said. “He’s one of those, ‘Let’s Go!’ guys, smashing his stick off his helmet, so he’s legit. He also works incredibly hard at his craft, so it was special to see him score and kind of light everybody up, the bench erupted.”
The third quarter started very even, as neither team scored for the first nine minutes. Finally, with 5:06 remaining in the quarter, Lee scored his second of the day, breaking the standoff. After that, the floodgates opened. Third-year Keegan Reilly added his first goal of the night, before Rutkowski scored his second, Grover and Petit scored their third goals of the night before the third quarter concluded with a 13-3 Rhode Island lead.
The fourth quarter saw Dartmouth strike first, but Rhode Island responded with two goals of their own; One from Grover, his fourth, and another from Guarino, his second.
Dartmouth got the last punch in, with one final goal in the dying seconds, but Rhode Island was still able to escape with a 15-5 win.
The Rams are back in action this Friday night, when they travel to Bridgewater State in their second to last game of the season.