DWC Wins GNAC Season Opener Against Rivier 10-4

Nashua – Junior Alex McKenzie (Nashua, NH) notched a game high four goals and fellow junior Justin Chiulli (Saugus, Mass.) added three scores guiding the Daniel Webster men's lacrosse team past intracity rival Rivier College, 10-4 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference opener for both clubs Saturday in a game played at Raiders Athletic Field.

Antonio Polson (Lanesboro, Mass.) added two goals and seven ground balls while Noah Smith (Medford, Mass.) chipped in with two assists and 12 face off wins as the Eagles (3-1, 1-0 GNAC) won for the third straight time and kept the Raiders (0-3, 0-1 GNAC) winless.

Shawn Donovan (Tewksbury, Mass.) notched two goals for Rivier while Danny Hooper (Wakefield, R.I.) and Will Snider added one each. Kevin Conley (Merrimack, N.H.) finished with a game high nine ground balls.

Chris Benoit (Blackstone, Mass.) finished with 21 saves in goal for the Raiders, while Nate Burr (Southbury, Conn.) made nine stops for the Eagles.

DWC won every statistical battle including total shots (51-22), ground balls (37-27), face offs (12-5) and clears (11-8), although Rivier would finish with three power-play strikes on seven chances.

DWC build a 5-0 lead after one quarter behind two strikes apiece from Chiulli and McKenzie and Chris Gordon's (Groton, Mass.) first of the season.

Snider got Rivier on the board with 9:03 to go in the second and Polson answered with 5:05 to go and DWC held a 6-1 lead at the half.

The teams would trade three goals each in the third quarter with Donovan finding the back of the Eagle net twice for a 9-4 game after three and McKenzie would close it out with his fourth of the day with 12:37 to go in the fourth.

The Eagles return to action next Saturday when they visit Mount Ida in a GNAC matchup beginning at 1:00 p.m.

Rivier hosts Becker in a GNAC game on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.