lax-stock-helmet-2025
Brian McWalters | RoadWin Photos
13
Winner VMI VMI 9-4 (3-3)
12
Wagner WAGNER 1-12 (1-5)
Winner
VMI VMI
9-4 (3-3)
13
Final
12
Wagner WAGNER
1-12 (1-5)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
VMI VMI 3 4 4 2 13
Wagner WAGNER 2 3 2 5 12

Game Recap: Lacrosse |

Keydets hang on for big win at Wagner

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – With the conference race coming down to the final week of the regular season next weekend, the VMI lacrosse team picked up an important 13-12 victory over host Wagner Saturday afternoon at Hameline Field in Staten Island, New York.
 
With the Keydets vying for a Northeast Conference Tournament spot – with VMI currently tied for the fourth and final spot at the tourney – the Keydets did what they had to to hang on for the league win to improve to 9-4 overall and 3-3 in conference play. The Seahawks fall to 1-12 overall and 1-5 in the NEC with inspired play on Senior Day Saturday for their final home game of the season.

With nine wins on the year, VMI continues its best season in 30 years since the Keydets last earned nine wins in 1995. The nine wins are also all Division I victories, the most in program history.
 
Game Summary
It was a game of runs as both teams took turns taking the lead before relinquishing it to the opposing side. The Seahawks jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead to start the game before VMI regrouped to end the first period with a 3-2 advantage following goals by Austin English, Dayton Bagwell and Luke Rusterucci.
 
The second period was much the same way as the teams battled to a 5-5 tie before the Keydets responded with two more goals to go into the break with a small 7-5 advantage.  Jack Duncan-Bloom and Matt Nichols scored VMI's goals to give the Keydets the halftime lead.
 
VMI outscored the Seahawks 4-2 in the third quarter to go into the final period with an 11-7 advantage.
 
Wagner rallied to score five goals to VMI's two in the final stanza, but the Keydets had built up enough insurance to withstand the push and hold on for the crucial league victory. Wil Duffy and Dayton Bagwell put in the final two scores for the Keydets to seal the win. The Seahawks made a late push in the final five minutes and scored two goals, but the Keydets milked the clock to limit Wagner's final scoring opportunities.
 
Key Stats
*Wagner goalie Nate Yi logged 13 saves to 10 for VMI's Damian Levin
*The Keydets outshot the Seahawks by a 45-32 count
*Every faceoff was a coin flip with Wagner taking 15 FO wins to VMI's 13
*Both teams had a similar clears count (VMI 18-22, WC 17-20) and extra-man opps (VMI 0-2, Wagner 1-4)
*Both Jack Duncan-Bloom and Dayton Bagwell finished with a hat trick to lead the Keydets in scoring while Wagner's Danny McMahon (4) and Sean Sanchez (3) paced the Seahawks in the loss

Noteworthy
*Rusterucci hit 70 points for the season, the first Keydet to do so since Joe Brockman accomplished the feat in 1996
*With 40 goals on the season, Rusterucci becomes the first Keydet to have a 40-goal campaign since Spencer Gill in 1992
*The Keydets have now registered 190 goals on the year, the second most all time for a single season with at least one more game to play
 
Up Next
The Keydets stay in contention for the fourth and final spot of the NEC Tournament in two weeks as they take on LIU next Saturday at noon on Drill Field #2 for a big Senior Day matchup.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Print Friendly Version