Canton, OH -- On Wednesday afternoon The Malone University Men's Lacrosse team welcomed their crosstown rivals, The Walsh University Cavaliers. 

As the final horn sounded the swords were down and the Pioneers were up by a score of 16-12. 

THE ESSENTIALS

• Final Score: Malone University Pioneers 16 - Walsh University Cavaliers 12
• Records: Malone (8-4, 4-0 G-MAC) | Walsh (2-8, 2-2 G-MAC)
• Location: Canton, OH

THE GAME
Looking to avenge a chippy loss against the Cavaliers in Malone's inaugural season, the Pioneers came out with a fiery passion for victory. John Mautz III started things off for the Pioneers as he fired home his 17th of the season just two minutes into the contest. Luke Ory followed suit twenty seconds later to double the Malone advantage. Talon Heath, coming off a record breaking performance, scored a pair and the Pioneers found themselves up 4-0 through just five minutes of game time. The Cavaliers stopped the bleeding but Eli Ciotti immediately reopened the wound to give Malone a 5-1 lead. Walsh looked to battle their rivals and closed the quarter out with a pair of goals to leave Malone ahead 5-3 through one. 

The Cavaliers opened he second quarter with a quick score to cut the deficit to one, but Zac Smargiasso flushed home a Heath feed to put the lead back to two. Smargiasso then split the defense and fired home his second of the game. Walsh countered with one more goal to leave things at 7-5 in favor of the Pioneers at the half. 

Nolan Winter opened the second half with a quick goal but then things started to get interesting. The Cavaliers rattled off three rapid-fire goals to tie things at eight a piece midway through the third. Cody Borgert raced through the Cavalier defense and found a cutting Heath who ripped his third goal of the game. Walsh continued to battle as they scored twice more to take a 10-9 advantage, their first lead of the day. Smargiasso knotted things up but Walsh quickly countered to take the lead right back. 

Facing a one goal deficit entering the fourth, and with the memories of past meetings in mind, the Pioneers refused to lay down and accept defeat. Ory scooped a loose ball, raced through the porous Cavalier defense, and single-handedly tied things at eleven a piece. Mautz III followed up with a solo goal of his own as he put on a footwork clinic to put the Pioneers back in front. Smargiasso, Ory, and Kenny Kaiser put the game away as they scored three goal in less than a minute to put the Pioneers ahead 15-11. While the Cavaliers mustered another goal, Heath decided one more nail was needed to seal the Cavalier's coffin as he took a feed from Winter and closed things out with the Pioneers ahead 16-12. 
DETAILS

• Talon Heath and Zac Smargiasso led Malone with 4 goals and an assist a piece. Heath's last second goal was the 100th of his collegiate career. Luke Ory (3 goals), Nolan Winter (1 goal and 2 assists), and John Mautz III (2 goals and an assist) followed suit with 3 points a piece. Cody Borgert recorded his first career point on his feed to Heath in the third. 
• Wayne Keating led the way defensively with 4 caused turnovers while Borgert recorded a pair of his own. Jacob Curtis and Borgert collected 4 ground balls a piece. 
• Phillip Bell stonewalled the Cavaliers as he saved 16 of 28 shots and finished with the W

WHAT'S NEXT
The Pioneers stay at home as they host the Seton Hill University Griffins on Saturday, April 6th at 1:00 P.M. 

FOLLOW THE PIONEERS
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Malone University athletic programs this year follow the Pioneers on Twitter and Instagram, like Malone University Athletics on Facebook or visit www.malonepioneers.com.