HAMBURG, N.Y.  - The Hilbert College men's lacrosse team started the NEAC portion of their 2021 season just as they had hoped to one year ago before the world-wide Covid-19 pandemic ended their 2020 season prematurely. 

The Hawks dominated Wells College this afternoon, doubling the Express in every team category and earned a 22-3 conference victory.

Seven different Hilbert players posted at least one goal and one assist, but it was Ryan Spath and Liam Doyle who fueled the charge collecting 8 points each.

THE BASICS              

• Final Score:  Hilbert 22  | Wells 3
• Location:   St. Francis High School | Altho Springs/Hamburg, NY
• Records: Hilbert 2-0 (1-0 NEAC) | Wells 0-2 (0-1 NEAC)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Doyle earned a game-high five goals and assisted on three other hits.  The sophomore attack was on-target today, leading with 12 shots, 10 on goal while picking up five ground balls.
• Spath was just as deadly manufacturing four goals off five shots on goal.  He added four assists, seven ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers.
• Freshman Ryan Mathews' game-high 10 ground balls were created from his 17-27 conversion rate in the face-off X.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Doyle earned his first 15-minute hat trick in the opening period.  He put Hilbert on the score board at 14:04, 5:06 and 2:06, and Anthony Cappola notched a pair of man-up goals in that run lifting the Hawks to a 6-0 advantage before the second quarter.
• Donovan Dilbert struck at 12:20 in the second session opening a five-goal run.   Spath, Dilbert and Daniel Flynn each tallied two points in that 2.5 minute stretch. 
• Hilbert continued to pour it on, scoring four additional goals over the next five minutes of action.  Cappola added three more points in this run, while Spath and Doyle each netted a man-up goal.
• Wells scored their first empty-net goal when the Hawks keeper extended his reach on a loose ball outside the crease.
• Leading 15-1 after intermission, the Hawks slowed their push to the frame and picked their lanes to attack.  Spath and Donovan padded a pair 30-seconds a part and then feed Cappola and Flynn for the final two markers before the start of the fourth quarter.
• After netting his first collegiate goal in the second quarter, freshman Jared Wojtaszczyk earned his first assist on Spath's final hit with just under four minutes to go in the contest.

GAME NOTES

• Hilbert set the pace the entire game, edging Wells in shots (53-20), shots on goal (35-12), clears (15-20 v 7-16), ground balls (48-33), winning 18 of 28 face offs and turning six extra man opportunities into four goals.
• Spencer Kennedy earned his second win of the season making four saves in the game's first thirty minutes.  Brandon Moore finished the game with five saves off seven shots on goal. 
• Joseph Gorman (four ground balls) and Chance Gunderman (5) were each credited with a pair of caused turnovers 

UP NEXT

Hilbert's Saturday, April 10th NEAC game at Medaille has been postponed and the new, rescheduled make-up date will be announced shortly.   The Hawks will travel to Morrisville State the following Saturday (April 17) before they close their 2021 season with a pair of home Saturday games.  Mark your calendar to help celebrate the Hawks' senior class on May 1 in Hamburg.