Falcon Lacrosse Tops VMI in League Action, 13-3

April 16, 2016

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - Air Force topped the VMI Keydets, 13-3, Saturday, Apr. 16, in a Southern Conference lacrosse game at the Academy's Holaday Athletic Center. The senior day victory marks the Falcons' 11^th straight win; the longest active win streak in the NCAA. The Falcons improve to 11-2 overall with a 5-0 mark in conference play. The Keydets fall to 2-12, 0-5 SoCon.

The Falcons set the pace of play netting two goals in the first two minutes of action. Shelton Collier scored a goal off Matthew Duenes' assist, 56 seconds into the game. Chris Walsch followed up with a goal of his own 47 seconds later. Walsch has logged a goal in every game this season.

Duenes and Marcus Ward tallied two more goals to extend the lead, 4-0. The Falcons held the Keydets scoreless in the first quarter.

At 11:43 left in the second period, Nick Hruby found the back of the net off the Walsch assist. Walsch extended the lead with his second goal of the day at the 7:33 mark. Walsch's goal marked his 28^th goal of the season and 100^th career point.

Walsch connected with Hruby again for a goal with 4:19 remaining in the half; the second goal by the duo in the second quarter. The goal marked Hruby's 16^th goal and fifth two-goal game on the season. VMI followed up with two goals from Dale Mattis and Tom Nofi. The Falcons entered halftime up, 7-2.

Air Force took 16 first half shots while VMI tallied seven. The Falcons scooped up 12 ground balls, the Keydets picked up four. Josh Radjenovich won seven of 11 of the first half face offs. Doug Gouchoe logged three first half saves while VMI's Joe Riccadonna made five.

Duenes would be the first to log a goal in the second half. The two-goal game was the first of his career. The Falcons extended the lead with Walsch's feed to Austin Smith for a goal with 1:13 remaining in the third quarter.

Just over a minute into the fourth quarter, Christopher Allen tallied his 24^th goal of the season off of Walsch's assist. Allen has 99 career points. Walsch nabbed his second four-assist game of the season.

Junior Barrett Anigian and freshman Malik Ekpenyong logged their first career goals in the fourth period, extending the Falcon lead, 12-2. With 31 seconds left in regulation, VMI's Wesley Sanders found the back of the net to put the score at, 12-3.

With one second remaining in regulation, Collier would find the nylon for his second goal of the game and a season best, two-goal game.

At the final whistle, the Falcons held the advantage in shots (35-16) and ground balls (19-10). Air Force won nine of 17 faceoffs and both teams had 17 turnovers. Gouchoe logged seven saves while freshman Fitzhugh Lee made two saves in six minutes of play.

Nine Falcons logged goals on the game; four Falcons had two goals apiece. Walsch led the team in assists with four, while Duenes tallied one.

The win over VMI marked Air Forces's final home game of the season; capping their 2016 home record at 4-1. Air Force continues SoCon action on the road against Richmond, Sat. April 23, in Richmond, Va., at noon ET. The Falcons and Spiders are tied for first in the SoCon, both teams are perfect in conference play.

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