Rain that pelted the campus of Lenoir-Rhyne University let up midway through the first quarter Monday night.
51Âþ» did not.
Varsity Lacrosse was unrelenting in its fourth and arguably best game of the season so far, dispatching Lake Norman, 15-5.
Three different Greenies managed a hat trick in the soggy conditions – Sam Bassett ’22 (five goals), Emmett Paradine ’22 (five goals), and Christian Hudson ’23 (three goals) – to go along with a goal apiece from Aiden Schook ’23 and Nate Kelley ’22.
The score was 2-0 after the first 1 minute and 4 seconds, enough for 51Âþ» to set the tone. The Greenies (4-0) expanded their lead to 10-2 at halftime, and a defense led by Nick Crowley ’22 and Charlie Bednar ’22 continually ripped the ball away from the Wildcats (2-2) whenever 51Âþ» lost possession.
Monday was the first game this season in which Varsity Lacrosse never trailed at any point. The team was behind 6-0 and 8-1 before fighting back to win 12-11 at Weddington on Friday.
Lake Norman was no pushover – the Wildcats beat defending NCISAA Division I state champion Charlotte Providence Day on Friday, 11-10, and took Georgia’s Centennial down to the wire in an 8-7 loss Saturday.
Lenior-Rhyne’s Moretz Stadium is presently undergoing a major renovation and a game in the venue was extra meaningful for Emmett and Caden Paradine ’25. Their father, Greg P’22, P’25, is the only lacrosse coach in Lenoir-Rhyne history. He was won 109 career games with the Bears since their inaugural season in 2011.
