Montclair, NJ. – The Montclair State University men's lacrosse team (8-0) battled Kean on Wednesday night and bested the Cougars by a score of 11-6 to remain undefeated on the season.

How It Happened

• Both teams' goalies showed out during the first half of the opening frame. Kean made four saves, but was stonewalled three times by NICHOLI HALSE. After Halse's save at the 6:51 mark, Montclair was able to use the next possession to draw first blood when JACKSON SIMONS found MAX MOROSOFF for the game's first goal, which was the lone score of the first quarter.
• A two-minute penalty on the Red Hawks in the last minute of the first quarter carried over to the second, but Montclair was able to kill the penalty, spotlighted by another key save by Halse. After a CARTER FINNEN shot went wide, Kean used a fast clear transition to even the score to 1-1 at the 13:11 mark. JONATHAN SLUSSER regained the lead for Montclair on a goal about a minute and a half later, and was followed by a HENRY NORDSTROM goal with 7:49 remaining in the first half. After Montclair put another pair of shots on goal, Kean attempted to cut the lead, but a Simons caused turnover led to another Slusser goal to extend the lead to 4-1. The Red Hawks seemed to have all the momentum, but the Cougars put together a strong final 1:11, where they notched the three goals they needed to tie the game, including one at the horn to put the score at 4-4 entering the halftime intermission.
• Out of the halftime break, RYAN VIERBUCHEN took over with two goals in just over a minute into the third to push Montclair to a 6-4 advantage. Both teams traded possession before the Red Hawks extended the lead to 7-4 on a Simons goal from JACK NORBERTO at the 8:49 timestamp. Both goalkeepers stood strong once again over the next six minutes until Morosoff found the back of the net again and extended the lead to 8-4 entering the fourth quarter.
• JACOB HOLICKI won the opening face-off of the fourth, and after a series of Montclair ground balls to keep possession, Vierbuchen nabbed his hat trick with another goal. Kean scored a pair of goals between 12:25 and 9:09 to cut the lead to 9-6. Montclair went right back on the attack and fired off six shots over the next three minutes before BRIAN KELLY broke through with a goal. One last goal from Montclair, with 12 seconds remaining in the game from KAI DONAHUE, put the exclamation point on the win for Montclair by a score of 11-6.

Inside the Numbers

• Montclair is off to its best start to a season since 1989, when it went a perfect 13-0.
• Vierbuchen led the way with four points in the game on three goals and an assist.
• Slusser is on a hot streak, scoring multiple goals in the last four contests.
• PATRICK BOURKE saw a season-high four caused turnovers.
• Halse earned another win between the pipes and recorded 11 saves. He has now had double-digit saves in each of the past six games.

From the Field

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Up Next

• Montclair hits the road for a matchup at Penn College on Saturday, March 21. The game is set for a 1:00 p.m. start.