Lawrence Tech falls 11-5 at Reinhardt despite even faceoffs, strong outing from Porter
| 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAW | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| REI | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 11 |
Reinhardt (Ga.) used a decisive five-goal third quarter to pull away from Lawrence Tech in an 11-5 nonconference victory Saturday afternoon at Ken White Field in Waleska, Georgia.
The Blue Devils were within a goal after the first quarter and trailed just 5-2 at halftime before Reinhardt seized control out of the break. The Eagles opened the third quarter with three straight goals and outscored Lawrence Tech 5-1 in the frame to build a 10-3 advantage, effectively putting the game out of reach.
Lawrence Tech matched Reinhardt at the faceoff X, splitting the 20 draws at 10-10, and made the most of its 19 total shots by putting 17 on goal. Goalie Dylan Porter was a focal point of the Blue Devils’ effort on the defensive end, facing 41 shots and finishing with 14 saves in a full 60 minutes of work.
Offensively, Lawrence Tech struck first when Wyatt Salenbien opened the scoring at 13:39 of the first quarter. After Reinhardt answered with a three-goal run, Eli Gerhart responded at 2:48 to trim the deficit to 3-2 at the end of the opening quarter. The Blue Devils were held scoreless in the second, however, as Reinhardt’s pressure limited possessions and sent Lawrence Tech into the break down three.
Reinhardt extended its lead early in the second quarter behind two goals from Bennett Morrison, both part of a stretch that pushed the margin to 5-2 at halftime. The Eagles then broke the game open in the third, with Chase Bond starting the five-goal surge at 13:03. Luke Greer, who led Reinhardt with three goals and one assist, scored twice in the period as the hosts built their largest lead. Lawrence Tech’s lone tally of the third came late from Benjamin Shackelford, briefly cutting the deficit before another Reinhardt answer.
The Blue Devils continued to battle in the fourth quarter, finding more rhythm on the offensive end. Borja Guillen-Mendez scored at 11:52 to make it 10-4, and after a Reinhardt goal from Joey Amatulli restored a seven-goal cushion, Lawrence Tech closed the scoring when Trevor Donohue finished off a feed from Luke Gannon at 9:01 for the final 11-5 margin.
Reinhardt finished with a 41-19 advantage in total shots and a 23-16 edge in ground balls, while also converting 19 clears. Goalie Michael Scoleri earned the win with 12 saves in 60 minutes. Lawrence Tech went 16-for-27 on clears and was whistled for two penalties totaling one minute, compared with three penalties for 1:30 against Reinhardt in a game officiated by David Finney.
Despite the road setback, Lawrence Tech showed competitiveness in the early stages and at the faceoff X, and the Blue Devils’ efficiency on frame and Porter's workload in goal provided key takeaways as the team moves forward in its schedule.
