WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Graduate goalkeeper Tommy Heller made 16 saves to lead the Monmouth University men's lacrosse team to a 14-10 win over LIU in the season opener on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Hawks jumped out to a 5-2 lead after one as five different players scored in the period. Both teams tallied three goals in the second as Monmouth took an 8-5 lead at the half.
 
The Monmouth defense was on lockdown in the third period as it held LIU without a goal. Heller made four stops in the period while a pair of Connor Macrae goals pushed the Monmouth lead to 12-5.
 
One more Macrae goal in the fourth helped the Hawks close out a 14-10 win.

NOTES & QUOTES
"We have to acknowledge LIU and give some credit to them as they played hard throughout the game and never went away in the second half.  To that end the staff and I are really proud of our guys because every time they began to create some momentum we responded with some good lacrosse and made plays to give us some breathing room. There is always some uncertainty heading into the first game of the season so to see so many new Hawks take the field for the first time this afternoon and pick up a win opening day on our new turf feels great." – Head Coach Brian Fisher

- Monmouth moves to 2-0 all-time against LIU.
- The Hawks won their home opener for the fifth straight year and their season opener for the first time since 2021.
- The Hawks wore their chrome helmets with white jerseys and shorts.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Tommy Heller's 16 saves are tied for fifth most in single-game history at Monmouth. It is the most saves in a game by a Hawk since the 2022 season.
- Connor Macrae finished with four goals for his first hat trick of the year.
- Freshman Brendan Dundas recorded a hat trick in his first collegiate game.
- Monmouth finished with a 45-34 advantage in shots in the game.
- Heller made 16 saves for Monmouth while Sean Richard had 12 saves for LIU.
- Monmouth won 18-of-28 faceoffs in the game. Junior Ethan Cronk had 14 of those wins for the Hawks.

 
NEXT UP
Monmouth will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 17 when it hosts Princeton at 12 p.m.