FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Men's Lacrosse team lost their home opener to No. 11 Saint Anselm 11-7 on Sunday afternoon.
 
After a slow start to the game that saw just two shots on goal in the first five minutes that were both saved by senior Logan Covey, FSU got the scoring started on a pass from sophomore JT Calhoun to classmate Luke Roach. Covey made another pair of impressive saves, then the Bobcats doubled their advantage as junior Sean Mullineaux fed a wide open senior Wesley Phillips on the back post.
 
Both goalkeepers traded saves, with the Hawks getting on the board as the clock ticked inside six minutes. Frostburg won the resulting face-off, but SAC keeper Finn Granara came up with a stop that resulted in a tie game with five left in the quarter. St. Anselm kept the pressure up by forcing an FSU turnover, scoring a pair of goals a minute apart to lead 4-2. Rounding out the period, senior Tyrin Long broke a seven-minute scoring drought on a run through the middle to bring the deficit back down to one.
 
The Hawks needed just a minute and a half to add to their advantage in the second, though the Bobcats hit right back through a Mullineaux solo effort. Eight minutes went by before another goal was scored, as Covey kept Frostburg in the game with a string of four saves, though it would be SAC to put the next score in, while adding another tally inside the final two minutes to lead 7-4 at the half.
 
Period three started with an FSU turnover, while Saint Anselm hit the post and forced another Covey save before burying their eighth just over two minutes in. The Bobcat offense struggled to create chances, as once more it was the Hawks furthering their advantage with six minutes to go in the quarter. Over the next three minutes, Frostburg began to work their way back in, forcing a save and hitting the post themselves before Mullineaux got the ball to Calhoun to make things 9-5. FSU wasn't able to take advantage of a one minute man-up opportunity late on, taking things into the fourth down by four.
 
Senior Gregg Dort Jr. nearly started the final frame with a bang, but his shot cannoned off the outside of the post, while the Bobcats ramped up their defensive pressure by forcing three turnovers, two of them caused by senior Seamus Kearney. Mullineaux tacked on another solo goal to cut the deficit to three, but SAC responded a minute later to go up 10-6. After both teams traded turnovers, the Hawks fired off four consecutive shots, the last one finding the back of the net for a five-goal game. In the final minute and a half, Mullineaux completed his hat trick on a Phillips assist, with the final score reading 11-7.
 
Covey stood out in net with 19 saves on a 63.3% save percentage, while Kearney and sophomore Ryder Walter combined for five caused turnovers in the defensive effort. Mullineaux led the offense with his three goals to go with two assists, with Phillips and Calhoun adding a goal and assist apiece.
 
With the loss, Frostburg drops to 0-2 on the year, while Saint Anselm is now 1-0. FSU has a quick turnaround, as they will be back in Bobcat Stadium on Tuesday, March 4 to face Malone at 4 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.