YORK, Pa. – The York College men's lacrosse team got back in the win column with a 13-6 Capital Athletic Conference victory over Wesley College on Wednesday afternoon at Kinsley Field.

The Spartans (8-5, 4-1 CAC) smothered Wesley (5-6, 0-5 CAC) with a season-high 52 shots and kept the pressure on the Wolverines throughout the game as they recorded a season-best 19 caused turnovers and picked up a season-high 45 ground balls. York also managed to own most of the possession by committing just 13 turnovers to Wesley's 26.

The Wolverines struck first, less than three minutes into the first quarter, but that only lit a fire under the Spartan attack, as the Green and White ripped off four consecutive goals in the last five minutes of the quarter. Andrew Gamble (Easton, Md. / Easton) accounted for two of the goals during the period, while Tyler Hutson (Westminster, Md. / Winters Mill) and Dillon Hannah (Catonsville, Md. / Catonsville) added the other two.

Hannah's goal came with 39 seconds remaining in the quarter after Tyler Fields (Catonsville, Md. / Mount St. Joseph) caused a turnover on a Wesley clear attempt and then hit Hannah with a pass for the fast-break goal. The assist by Fields is the senior defender's first point of his career.

York kept the momentum rolling into the second quarter, scoring two more goals before Wesley could tally its second goal of the game to take a 6-2 lead. The Spartans tacked on two more goals before the quarter ended and took an 8-3 lead into the locker room. Hutson recorded two tallies and an assist while Gamble notched a goal and an assist in the second quarter. Joey Fiorino (Reisterstown, Md. / McDonogh) also had a goal in the second quarter as the freshman defender now has points in the last three games.

The third quarter saw four new Spartan goal scorers find the back of the net, including junior Jathan Mahaffey (Millersville, Md. / Annapolis Area Christian) who scored his first collegiate goal with the Spartans after playing two seasons and compiling 47 points with Wesley. Christopher Lees (Barto, Pa. / Boyertown) and Ryan Cook (Lincoln University, Pa. / Avon Grove) also had tallies in the third quarter, while Matt Whitcher (Huntington Station, N.Y. / Huntington) added a goal and an assist in the quarter.

Mac Godlewski (Annapolis, Md. / St. Mary's Annapolis) closed out the Spartan scoring as he powered his way to the net for a goal in the fourth quarter.

Caleb Abney (Forest Hill, Md. / Fallston) earned the victory for York in goal as he played over 46 minutes and made three saves on seven shots on goal. Freshman goalie Landry Marshall (Brookeville, Md. / Glenelg) made a career-high five saves on seven shots on goal in over 12 minutes of play in relief of Abney.

Jake Katchmark (Centreville Va. / Westfield) helped keep the possession with York as he controlled 14 of the game's 23 faceoffs. York also excelled in the transition game, converting 20 of 23 clears, while Wesley only managed to convert 18 of 29 clear attempts.

The Spartans will face #8 Stevenson University on Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Stevenson for their next game, a rescheduled game from February 14.

Christopher Lees photo courtesy of David Sinclair