PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Loyola University Maryland men's lacrosse goalkeeper
Max Watkinson made a career-high 19 saves on Saturday against Rutgers University, but the host Scarlet Knights topped the Greyhounds, 10-5, in a non-conference game at SHI Stadium.
Watkinson 15 of his saves between the second and third quarters, nine in the third alone to best his previous high of 13.
Rutgers outshot Loyola, 47-29, and the Scarlet Knights had 39 ground balls to the Greyhounds' 22.
The Greyhounds opened the scoring with a goal in the first 95 seconds. Loyola drew a flag against Rutgers on the first faceoff, and it went on extra-man quickly.
Brady West converted with a goal off a
Matthew Minicus feed at 13:25.
Rutgers, however, scored the next four and built a 4-1 lead with 6:59 on the first-quarter clock. Shane Murphy scored twice during the run, and JJ Aiello and Haydn Sommer had the other Scarlet Knights goals.
Ryan McGorry broke the run for Loyola with a below-the-hips goal at 5:26 in the first quarter after a Minicus skip pass, and Loyola was within a pair.
Neither team scored almost 13 minutes until the Greyhounds broke through in transition.
Rutgers had a shot clock violation on the offensive end, and the Scarlet Knights dropped into a 10-man ride. Minicus came over the midline and caught a pass. He turned and slipped a pass through traffic on the left side to
Chase Brody.
Brody took a few steps, set and scored his first collegiate goal from 20 yards out with 8:13 left in the first half.
The Scarlet Knights added two goals before the end of the quarter, and they took a 6-3 lead to the locker room.
Ben Stephanos scored 1:23 into the second half for Rutgers, and it was a four-goal lead, but
Brady Quinn dodged a short-stick from X and scored with 8:15 left in the third, pulling the Greyhounds within three, 7-4.
Aiello scored two of his game-high three goals over a 17-minute stretch, and Kasey Mongillo added another for the Scarlet Knights, and their 3-0 run pushed the margin to six, 10-4.
McGorry added his career-high second goal of the game with an extra-man tally 3:25 before the end of regulation.
Minicus assisted on that goal, as well, and he had four total in the game.
Remi Reynolds had a team-high five ground balls for Loyola.
The Greyhounds return to Ridley Athletic Complex on Saturday, March 1, to open Patriot League play with a 12 noon game against Colgate University.
Gallery: (2-22-2025) Men's Lacrosse at Rutgers
