Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Gettysburg outscored Franklin & Marshall 8-0 over a 22-minute stretch in the first half, opening up an early gap as the seventh-ranked men's lacrosse team clinched the top seed in the Centennial Conference playoffs with a 13-5 victory over the Diplomats Wednesday afternoon at Shirk Field at Mussselman Stadium.
 
The Bullets (11-2, 7-0 CC) won their ninth game in a row and have now held all seven of their Centennial Conference opponents to six or fewer goals.
 
Nine different players scored to lead a balanced offensive attack for Gettysburg, with senior Jameson Smith (Glen Ridge, N.J./Glen Ridge) leading the way with three goals. Senior Mike Distler (Lutherville, Md./Loyola Blakefield) added two goals and one assist while freshman Blake Gray (Reisterstown, Md./McDonogh School) also scored twice.
 
Junior long-stick midfielder Chris Palladino (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) helped lead the defensive unit, posting five ground balls and three caused turnovers. Senior Jake Adoni (Fort Washington, Pa./Germantown Academy), making his second-straight start in goal, made six saves over 53 minutes of action while yielding four goals.
 
Sean Rogers scored two goals for the Diplomats (11-4, 5-2 CC) while Scott Hatch made seven saves.
 
F&M jumped out to a 2-0 lead just 2:44 into the contest before the Bullets embarked on their early run. Smith got things started with 12:24 left in the opening quarter before Gray tied it with 5:58 on the clock. Smith then gave the Bullets the lead for good with 2:21 showing before Smith and Distler added first-quarter tallies to give the hosts a 5-2 lead after 15 minutes of play.
 
The Bullets continued to pour it on in the second quarter, with Werner, freshman Tommy Heller (Livingston, N.J./Livingston), Smith, and Gray cashing in to make it an 8-2 game with 5:23 left in the half. Mike Rama stopped the bleeding for F&M with 3:53 left before freshman Mike Risser (Chester Springs, Pa./Downingtown East) scored with 2:06 on the clock, making it a 9-3 game at the break.
 
Gettysburg blanked the Diplomats in the third quarter, when Distler, junior Ivan Morris (Houston, Texas/Houston Christian), and freshman Andrew Garstka (Springfield, Va./Paul VI Catholic) all scored to extend Gettysburg's lead to 12-3. F&M outscored the Bullets 2-1 in the final stanza, when sophomore Justin McBride (Laurel Hollow, N.Y./Cold Spring Harbor) potted Gettysburg's final goal of the day.
 
The Bullets close out their regular season on Saturday, when they visit Washington College at 1 p.m. in a Centennial Conference match-up.