Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Junior Robby Maddux (Baltimore, Md./St. Paul's) posted four goals and one assist while senior Jon Maddalone (Carolina Beach, N.C./Choate Rosemary Hall [Conn.]) made eight saves over 50 minutes of action as the 20th-ranked Gettysburg College men's lacrosse team defeated Messiah College 12-1 in its season and home opener Saturday afternoon at a sunny Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium.

The Bullets, who won their season opener for the eighth year in a row, outshot the Falcons 39-31. It was a 1-0 game after one quarter of play before the Orange and Blue broke it open in the middle two quarters, who it outscored Messiah 10-1.

Senior Martin Manilla (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) added two goals for the Bullets while junior Bijan Firouzan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) contributed one goal and two assists. Senior Henry Tesar (Lake Bluff, Ill./Avon Old Farms [Conn.]) posted one goal and one assist while freshman Kyle Hewett (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) won 9-of-12 face-offs in his collegiate debut.

Brooks Arnold made 11 saves for Messiah, which was also playing its season opener.

Manilla scored 4:21 into the game for the lone goal of the opening period. The Bullets outshot the Falcons 11-2 in the quarter, but Arnold made three saves.

Gettysburg received a spark early in the second quarter, when it scored twice in five seconds. Junior Jimmy Morris (Waccabuc, N.Y./John Jay) struck with 14:00 on the clock before Hewett won the ensuing face-off and quickly dished it off to Maddux, who buried his first goal of the day.

Firouzan and Tesar scored 29 seconds apart midway through the quarter to make it 5-0. Then with one second left in the half, senior Derek Ruebling (Morristown, N.J./Delbarton) converted from the left post, finishing off a cross from Firouzan and the Bullets in a man-up situation to push the hosts' lead to 6-0 at the break.

Maddux scored 1:49 in the second half before the Falcons broke up the shutout, as Chris Bry slipped in a man-up shot from the left post following a rebound. But the Bullets piled up four goals over the remainder of the period, receiving tallies from Maddux, Manilla, sophomore Jameson Smith (Glen Ridge, N.J./Glen Ridge), and junior Steven Mahon (Setauket, N.Y./St. Anthony's).

Junior defensive midfielder Andrew Toner (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) set up the final goal of the game, coming up with a ground ball near midfield and dishing it off in transition to Maddux, who netted his fourth goal with 10:45 remaining.

Sophomore Jake Adoni (Fort Washington, Pa./Germantown Academy) came on to play the final 9:23 in goal for Gettysburg and stopped all four shots on goal that he faced.

The Bullets return to action on Wednesday, when they visit Goucher College at 3:30 p.m. in another non-conference affair.