Haney Breaks Own Program Record with 11 Goals in Win against Columbia

DUNCAN, SC. – The Mount Vernon Nazarene University men's lacrosse team (5-1) traveled to Duncan, South Carolina to face Columbia College (1-3) on Saturday, February 28. 

To start the game, Zechariah Gee for MVNU won the faceoff after a faceoff violation. After causing a turnover, Ethan Haney was the first to put MVNU on the board early in the first quarter. Columbia would then score two goals, but Dylan Haynes, assisted by Colton McKee, would respond to tie the game 2-2. Columbia would score again, going ahead into the second quarter with a score of 3-2. 

Haney would tie the game up 3-3 at the start of the second quarter, after an assist by Chase Lawler. After a won faceoff by Gee, McKee would score an unassisted goal, bringing the Cougars to the top 4-3. The Cougars would go on to score four more goals, compared to Columbia's one goal in the second quarter, putting MVNU in the lead 8-4. 

Starting the third quarter, Gee won the faceoff for MVNU, but after a turnover, Columbia would try to decrease the Cougar's lead by scoring two goals early in the third quarter. However, MVNU would score two back-to-back man-up goals. After another Columbia goal, the Cougars would rally with four more goals, building back the lead to 14-7. 

Gee's won faceoff would help Haney once again score at the start of the fourth quarter for the Cougars, after being assisted by Connor Kistner. Columbia would score only one goal in the fourth quarter right after Haney's goal. However, Haney would answer with another goal, assisted by McKee, bringing the score to 16-8. MVNU would score six more goals to secure the 22-8 win over Columbia. 

MVNU's offense was led by Haney, who ended the day by breaking his own program record with 11 goals. Lawler and Haynes each had four goals. Lawler added two assists and two groundballs, and Haynes had one assist and one groundball. Gee led MVNU in faceoff wins, winning 19 out of 24 faceoffs. Vaughan Hawkins was in goal for the Cougars. Hawkins made seven saves, after facing 15 shots. MVNU caused 22 Columbia turnovers, had 33 total groundballs, had three out of four clears, and won a total of 28 faceoffs out of 34 faceoffs. 

What's Next 

The Cougars will have their home opener against the University of Cumberlands on Saturday, March 7, starting at 12:00 p.m. at CH4 Stadium. 

Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students, and working adults. With a 327-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth, and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education both in-seat and online to nearly 2,200 students from 36 states, 1 U.S. commonwealth and 41 foreign countries.