OWINGS MILLS, MD — The No. 1 RIT (5-0) men's lacrosse team defeated Lynchburg College (2-5) 13-11 in the opening game of the 2018 Mustang Classic hosted by Stevenson University on Friday afternoon.

Shots were 41-36 in favor of RIT. The Tigers won the ground ball battle 50-35, were 16-of-19 on clearing attempts, and went 18-of-28 on face-offs. Ryan Tandy (Montrose, NY/Hendrick-Hudson) and Eli Salama (Coquitlam, British Columbia/Dr. Charles Best) each tallied two goals and an assist. Cam Isaac (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) scored two goals, while Ryan Barnable (Whitby, Ontario/Donald A. Wilson) tallied a goal and dished out three assists. Walker Hare (Libertyville, IL/Libertyville) got the win in net, making five saves. Nate Farrell (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) won 18-of-27 face-offs and had seven ground balls. Joey Menecola (Toronto, Ontario/Michael Power Catholic) caused four turnovers.

Isaac gave RIT a 1-0 lead on his goal off an assist from Zach Ursu (Mono, Ontario/The Kiski School) three minutes into the game. Issac tallied again to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead on his second goal of the quarter at the 5:52 mark. Lynchburg scored two goals late in the quarter, including one from Rogers with 1:37 to play that tied the score at 2-2.

Lombardo gave the Hornets at 3-2 lead on his goal early in the second quarter. Aidan Milburn (Vancouver, British Columbia/Sentinel Secondary) tied the score at 3-3 on his goal off an assist from Nally at the 11:31 mark of the quarter. Robinson answered right back for Lynchburg, giving the Hornets at 4-3 lead on his goal with 8:56 to play. Again, the Tigers came right back, tying the game at 4-4 on Tandy's goal. 

After a Lynchburg gave the Hornets a 5-4 lead, the Tigers closed out the half scoring two straight goals to take a one-goal into halftime. Salama tied the game at 5-5 on his first goal of the game off an assist from Tandy with 3:22 to play in the half. Tandy gave the Tigers the lead on his second goal with 2:26 to play.

Shots were 21-17 in favor of Lynchburg in the opening half. RIT won 8-of-13 face-offs and had 25 ground balls. Tandy and Isaac each had two goals, while Barnable dished out two assists. Hare made four saves.

Each team scored four goals in the third quarter. The Tigers took a 10-7 lead on consecutive goals from Beau Riley (Homer, NY/Homer), Salama and Farrell. Farrell's goal came with 7:20 to play in the quarter and gave the Tigers their largest lead of the game. Lynchburg answered with goals from Dean and Lombardo late in the quarter the RIT lead to 10-9.

Tackett gave the Tigers an 11-9 lead on his goal early in the fourth quarter. Barnable extended the RIT lead to 12-9 on his first goal of the game with 12:46 to play in regulation. Lombardo tallied his fourth of the game at the 12:03 mark of the quarter to cut the RIT lead to 12-10. Colin McGuire cut the RIT lead to 12-11 with his goal with 10:30 to play in regulation. Kyle Killen (Peterborough, Ontario/Crestwood Secondary) put the game away, giving the Tigers a 13-11 lead on his man-up goal off an assist from Riley with 6:52 to play in regulation. 

RIT returns to action on Saturday when the Tigers take on No. 10 Amherst College at 3 p.m. on day two of the Mustang Classic.