MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny men's lacrosse team opened Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play at home Wednesday (March 25) against Hiram, defeating the Terriers 15-2.
 
The Gators got out to a quick lead as JaMier Hopkins (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Edward) scored off a feed by JP Rakis (Kensington, Md./Walter Johnson). The Terriers answered with a man-up goal, Rakis scored unassisted to tie it back up. The back-and-forth continued as the Terriers tied the game at two before the Gators rattled off a 3-0 run. Nathan Wheeler (Pasadena, Md./Chesapeake) started the run on a goal assisted by Rakis before Tomi Horsley (Salt Lake City, Utah/Brighton) scored an unassisted goal. Rakis then found the back of the net for the second time as the Allegheny lead reached 5-2 going into the second.
 
Rakis finished his hat trick early in the second quarter off an assist by Gabe Shoemaker (Brunswick, Maine/Brunswick). Late in the half, Rakis scored his fourth goal as the Gators led 7-2 at the half.
 
Allegheny added to their lead early in the third when Wheeler found Jack Pearl (Ladera Ranch, Calif./JSerra Catholic) for the tally. Griffin Cates (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey) then fought through a slew of Terrier defenders to score a tough unassisted goal. Later in the frame on an extra-man opportunity, Wheeler scored his second goal of the game off an assist by Rakis. The Gator lead increased to 11-2 as Cates scored his second goal of the quarter off a feed by Shoemaker.
 
In the fourth quarter, Allegheny outpaced the Terriers 4-0. Rakis tallied two goals and an assist in the period. Pearl and Wheeler had a goal and an assist each while Cates had an assist.
 
Inside the Box

• Rakis finished the game with 10 points on six goals and four assists. He also had four groundballs and caused a pair of turnovers.
• Wheeler tallied five points on a hat trick and two assists. He led the team with seven groundballs and caused a turnover.
• Cates finished with two goals, an assist and four groundballs.
• Shoemaker had a pair of assists to go with six groundballs.
• Hopkins and T. Horsley rounded out the goal scoring.
• Liam Kruck (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin) and Jack Brandstatter (Broomfield, Colo./Dawson School) each had three caused turnovers.
• Jason Eason (Westlake, Ohio/Westlake) collected four groundballs.
• Garin Stearns (Hudson, Ohio/Revere) earned the win in net, making 10 saves. 

News and Notes

• Allegheny is now 6-0 all-time against Hiram.
• Austin Aspenwall (Maineville, Ohio/Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy) made his Allegheny debut in goal, making a pair of saves in the fourth.
• Rakis recorded his seventh career double-digit point game. 

Up Next
The Gators travel to Saint Vincent Saturday (March 28).