Box Score WILLIAMSTOWN, MA -- Playing in their first game since moving into the national top 15 in the country (14th) in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) poll, Williams (4-0) struggled offensively in the first half before turning it up on offense in the second half to down Castleton State (0-2) 16-5.
Castleton opened the scoring in the game at 8:52 of the first quarter. Nick Neugebauer converted from in close off a feed from Louis Alhage. The Spartans' goal put the Ephs behind for the first time this season, 1-0.
Williams took a 2-1 lead after first quarter goals by Thomas Fowler and Andy Grabowski, but Castleton tied the game at two in the second quarter when Zach Davidson scored off a feed from Sean Paradis at 9:10.
Williams took a 3-2 lead into halftime when Steven Kiesel converted off a feed from Andy Grabowski with just under two minutes left in the half.
Williams then netted six unanswered goals from 1:58 left in the second quarter until just 46.5 seconds remained in the third quarter. Of the six goals scored in the run, five Ephs contributed with Kiesel scoring two.
Asked what he told his team at halftime, Eph head coach George McCormack said, "I just told them to just relax on offense. I thought we were getting a lot of shots, but give credit to their goalie. He was very good. We have high expectations about the number of goals we score. I thought we were pressing a little. I thought when we rode them in the third quarter it gave us even more opportunities."
Williams fired off 25 shots in the first half while the Spartans recorded 19 shots. Both Peter Latulippe for the Spartans and the Ephs' Dan Whittam notched eight saves.
Castleton corralled 18 ground balls in the first half, while Williams recorded 11.
Williams opened the third quarter netting the first five goals from five different players: Kiesel scored his second of the contest and Bryson Gilbert-Bono, Joe Kinney, Andy Grabowski and Thomas Fowler also scored giving Williams an 8-2 lead.
Castleton's Taylor Swarter stopped the Eph run of goals with a score with just nine seconds left in the third quarter.
The Ephs out scored the Spartans 8-2 in the fourth frame to post the 16-5 win. "I think it was good for us to give some of our younger kids a chance to play and show what they can do," added McCormack. After Castleton scored its second and final goal of the fourth quarter the Ephs ran off six unanswered goals with Tanner MacIvor netting two.
Nine Ephs scored on the night and seven had at least one assist.
The Ephs were led in scoring by Tanner MacIvor and Thomas Fowler who tallied three goals each. MacIvor also recorded a game high three assists. Taylor Swarter was the lone Spartan player to score more than one goal and he netted two on the night.
Castleton goalie Peter Latulippe stopped 19 of 35 shots he faced in 60 minutes and allowed 16 goals, while the Ephs' Dan Whittam had 14 saves, allowed five goals in 55:54. Miles McCarthy played the final 4:06 in goal for Williams and he notched two saves and did not allow a goal.
On the night the Ephs collected 41 ground balls and caused 26 turnovers while the Spartans registered 32 ground balls and 15 turnovers.
Next up for Castleton State is a home contest on Saturday vs. Plymouth State, while the Ephs will next see action in their first road game when they travel to New London, Conn. to take on Connecticut College in a NESCAC game.
