GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 7 Keiser 7, Embry-Riddle 13
Records: No. 7 Keiser (0-1), Embry-Riddle (1-0)
Location: Embry-Riddle Lacrosse Field, Daytona Beach, Fla.

KU HIGHLIGHTS

• Hunter East recorded his first career hat-trick while Ryan Johnson finished his first collegiate game with two scores on three shots.
• Brandon Benitez tallied both a goal and an assist, with the goal marking the first collegiate marker for the sophomore.
• Tyler Kalmowitz also chipped in with his first Keiser goal, and Dylan Sharpe assisted on Johnson's second goal of the game.
• Justin Stone scooped up a team-best six ground balls and led the game with two caused turnovers.
• Aaron Collins made his debut in the face-off circle, but Embry-Riddle wreaked havoc and held the senior to just 7-of-21 in the contest.
• In net, Marco Olortegui made his debut as a Seahawk and played the full 60 minutes, making eight saves.
• It was the first time in program history that the Seahawks have lost a season opener, as the Seahawks earned victories in both 2017 and 2018 to start the season.

TURNING POINT
The third quarter proved costly for the Seahawks, who were within striking distance with a 6-3 deficit at the halftime whistle until Embry-Riddle outscored Keiser 4-1 in the period.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Keiser's, Collins won the opening face-off of 2019, and the Seahawks produced a score on their first shot as East found the back of the net just 56 seconds into the contest.
• The hosts found the equalizer with 9:33 on the clock, as the Eagles converted after two shots against Olortegui had missed the mark.
• Embry-Riddle was then able to go into the second quarter holding the 2-1 advantage, tacking on another score with 2:51 on the clock.
• As in the first quarter, Keiser came out and started the second quarter well by winning the face-off and advancing up the field for a goal, as Johnson notched his first collegiate goal to make it 2-2 with 14:09 to play until the halftime whistle.
• From that point on however, much of the second quarter was dictated by the Eagles, as Embry-Riddle produced the next three goals in short order to extend their lead out to 5-2 with 7:07 on the clock.
• Benitez stemmed the tide with a man-up goal at the 1:59 mark, finding space to fire home his first collegiate score as KU trailed 5-3.
• The Seahawks and Eagles appeared to be headed into the intermission separated by just two goals, but with 49 seconds remaining the hosts made it 6-3, and it would remain that way into the half.
• Keiser did not have the third quarter it had hoped for, as ERAU scored the first four goals of the period to go ahead 10-3 until East found the back of the net once again with just 18 seconds left.
• Following an Eagles goal to open the final period of play, the Seahawks tallied back-to-back goals from Johnson and East to get within 11-6, forcing Embry-Riddle to take a timeout with 7:30 left to play.
• The Eagles were able to regroup out of the stoppage, scoring two more goals before Kalmowitz fired the ball home off a pass from Benitez but Keiser came up short in the opener, 13-7.

 
TEAM LEADERS
Keiser
Points:  East (3)
Goals: East (3)
Assists: Sharpe/Benitez (1)
Face-off: Collins/Jayne (7-24)
Ground Balls: Stone (6)
Saves: Olortegui (8)
 
Embry-Riddle
Points: Jacobs (5)
Goals: Jacobs (4)
Assists: Kane (2)
Face-off: Urso/Anderson (17-24)
Ground Balls: Urso (9)
Saves: Fraser (10)
 
Up Next
Keiser will take the field for the 2019 home opener on Saturday, February 16 against No. 6 SCAD-Savannah at 11:00 a.m.