Video recap at bottom of press release
NEWARK, Del. - - A five-goal run spanning the halftime break catapulted the District of Columbia past the Wilmington University men's lacrosse team, 15-7, in the program's inaugural game on Tuesday afternoon at the WU Athletics Complex.
The Wildcats (0-1) scored three straight in the second quarter to climb to within 5-4, but the Firebirds (3-0) scored the final goal of the half and the first four of the third quarter to steal the momentum and the first ever game for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats produced the first three shots of the game, but all three attempts at the program's first ever goal were denied by the Firebirds' Nikolas Lund-Murray. The Firebirds broke the ice with 8:33 left in the quarter, and quickly made it 2-0 with 7:49 left in the first.
The program's first goal came late in the first quarter, as Josh Burley etched his name in Wilmington history with a man-up goal with 2:11 left in the quarter.
UDC scored the first three goals of the second quarter, but the Wildcats fought back to make it close late in the half. Burley scored his second of the game, before Chris Smith got in the scoring column with 4:19 left before the half. Burley recorded the first hat trick in Wildcat history with his third goal in 29 seconds left in the second quarter, bringing the Wildcats to within 5-4.
But a lapse in the final 30 seconds of the half allowed the Firebird to score off the face-off, as the visitors took a 6-4 advantage with a goal with 18 ticks showing on the clock.
The Firebirds carried that momentum into the third quarter, scoring the first four goals of the stanza and outscoring the Wildcats, 4-1, in the frame. Cory Melvin stopped the five-goal streak with his first tally as a Wildcat with 28 seconds left in the quarter, but the Firebirds led, 10-5, after three.
Melvin scored the first goal of the fourth quarter as well, making it a hat trick with his third goal of the game with 5:03 to play, bringing the Wildcats to within 11-7 late in the game. But the Wildcats weren't able to score again in the game, as the Firebirds iced the contest with the final four goals of the game.
Burley led the Wildcats with four points, scoring three goals and adding an assist. Melvin scored three goals for three points while Chris Smith tallied a goal and two assists for three points. Dylan McCleaft dished out two assists while John Novak capped the Wilmington scoring with one assist as well.
Kyle Leary led the team with seven ground balls while also adding a team high five caused turnovers. Noah Given recorded 15 saves in his collegiate debut for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats have another chance to earn their first win at home with their next contest, as they welcome Assumption to the WU Athletics Complex on Sunday, March 4 the opening face-off is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
