VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The Husson University men's lacrosse team fall to the Marlins of Virginia Wesleyan University, 20-9, Saturday afternoon at Birdsong Field to begin their spring break slate of games.

The Marlins got the action going with a pair of goals in the third minute of the quarter with junior Mark Sprague and graduate student Braden Knight both connecting with the back of the net. Senior Gunner McAllister put Husson (0-3) on the board when he fired his fifth goal of the season pass the Marlins keeper sophomore Josh Van Zuylen at the 9:49 mark. After the Husson goal, Virginia Wesleyan (2-2) went on a 6-0 rally taking an 8-1 lead into the second quarter. Graduate student Nathan Sheirburn and Sprague both scored twice, while sophomore Sam Edwards and graduate student Joey Rayman both added a goal apiece.

McAllister's second of the game and two goals by senior Jaden Wells to the start second quarter pulled the Eagles within four, 8-4. Sprague added one more for VWU as the teams headed into the halftime break with the Marlins leading 9-4.

Sheirburn and Edwards got the scoring started for VWU in the third quarter giving the Marlins an 11-4 lead. Junior Ben Huynh tallied his third goal of season, while McAllister added a man-up goal for the hat-trick to cut the Marlins lead to five goal, 11-6.  Virginia Wesleyan bounced back closing the third quarter on a 4-0 run taking a 15-6 lead into the final 15 minute frame. Graduate student Tommy Faiella scored twice, while Sprague and first-year Jackson Dinger scored the other two.

Sprague, first-year Daniel Auxier, and sophomore Jack Butcher started the fourth quarter off with a goal each for the Marlins pushing the lead to 18-6. Senior Darryn Bailey added his fourth goal of season before the Marlins answered with two more, one each from Butcher and first-year Logan Hickey, putting VWU up 20-6. The Eagles closed out the game with goals by junior Matthew Boynton and Wells but could not eclipse Virginia Wesleyan's lead with the final score sitting at 20-9.

Wells and McAllister each tallied three goals in the game, while McAllister added an assist to go along with his game-high 16 shots. Bailey, Boynton, senior Bryan Wagg and senior Gus Eisenmann all scooped up a team-high four groundballs. Eisenmann had a team-high two caused-turnovers and Wagg made 18 saves for the Eagles in the setback.

The Eagles continue their road trip on Monday, March 7th in Swannanoa, North Carolina when they face Warren Wilson College in a non-conference match up. Opening face-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.