MIDDLETOWN, CT - No.14 ranked men's lacrosse team takes down Bates in the season opener 22-8 at Citrin Field Saturday afternoon. This is the first game for the men's lacrosse team since the shortened 2021 season where they went 3-2 in five games. In this afternoon's game Wesleyan took control early, gaining a 5-1 lead after the first 15 minutes. They then scored seven straight to open up the 2^nd quarter to make the game out of reach by halftime, 15-3. The teams would trade goals throughout the 2^nd half to reach the final score of 22-8.

Wesleyan opens the season with a decisive victory over Bates, giving them a 1-0 (1-0 NESCAC) start to 2022. This was Bates 2^nd game of the year, the Bobcats start 0-2 (0-1 NESCAC) with losses to Babson and Wesleyan.
 
HIGHLIGHTS:

• Matt Gill '23 was the first to put the ball through the net in 2022, scoring off of an assist from Justin Hazard '23. Gill would return the favor to Hazard less than two minutes later to go up 2-0. Bates would respond with a goal a minute later, their only goal on the 1^st quarter
• Wesleyan would close the quarter with three more goals. First it was Gill again, then Hayden Leachman '23 and Pat Doherty '23 got into the action extending the lead to 5-1
• The Cardinals opened the 2^nd with seven straight goals, to really put the game out of reach before halftime. The Bobcats responded with two goals, but the halftime score was 15-3
• Bates was able to score five second half goals to make the score more respectable, however the Cardinals put up seven scores of their own, to finish with a 22-8 victory 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Hazard and Doherty both score four goals. A career-high for Doherty
• Gill and Spencer Robbins '22 score career-high three goals
• Jake Sexton '22 and CK Giancola '24 score two goals apiece
• 10 different Cardinals scored at least one goal
• Gill came through with a career-high five assists and eight points

UP NEXT:
Wesleyan will travel to face Maritime on Wednesday March 9^th at 7pm. Maritime has started the season 2-1