Taylor’s first-quarter surge sends Lawrence Tech to 18-10 road loss
| 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAY | 8 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 18 |
| LAW | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
UPLAND, Ind. - Lawrence Tech fell behind early and never recovered Saturday, dropping an 18-10 lacrosse decision to Taylor after the Trojans used an eight-goal first quarter to seize control in Upland.
The decisive stretch came almost immediately. Taylor scored the game’s first eight goals, starting with Henry Cooper’s opener at the 12:27 mark of the first quarter off an assist from Jackson Dale. Lawrence Tech finally broke through late in the quarter, getting a goal from Brendan Shinavier with 3 seconds left to trim the margin to 8-3, but the Blue Devils could not make a sustained dent in the deficit. Taylor added six more goals in the second quarter and led 14-3 before halftime.
Lawrence Tech showed more life after the break, with Parker Gannon scoring at 13:00 of the third quarter to begin a response, and Luke Gannon closing the day with a late goal at 2:47 of the fourth. Luke Gannon led the Blue Devils attack with four goals and two assists, accounting for six points in Lawrence Tech’s most productive offensive performance of the afternoon. The Blue Devils finished with 10 goals on 47 shots and put 30 attempts on frame.
Faceoffs and possession were major factors in the outcome. Taylor won 19 faceoffs to Lawrence Tech’s 13 and also held a 52-31 edge in ground balls, helping the home team maintain pressure through long stretches of the first half. Taylor finished with 18 goals and 11 assists on 57 shots, and its offense was led by Will Saxby, who recorded five goals and three assists. Dale added two goals and four assists, while Jude Wood scored four times.
In goal, Dylan Porter made 14 saves for Lawrence Tech and kept the Blue Devils from facing an even steeper margin despite Taylor generating 32 shots on goal. On the other end, Taylor goalkeeper Ben Harrell stopped 20 shots and turned away repeated Lawrence Tech chances, a key reason the Blue Devils could not turn their 30 shots on goal into a serious comeback bid. Each team scored once on the man advantage.
Taylor led 8-3 after the first quarter, 14-3 at halftime and 17-6 through three quarters before Lawrence Tech put together its best offensive stretch in the fourth. The Blue Devils scored four times in the final quarter, but the early hole proved too deep in front of an attendance of 62.
