HOUGHTON, NY – Hartwick's men's lacrosse team overwhelmed host Houghton College (3-11, 0-7 E8) on Friday night by a final score of 17-7 to up its season mark to 4-8. The Hawks also improve to 2-4 in the Empire 8 Conference

Jake Sachse (Lutherville, MD/Boys' Latin School of MD) and Chris Vaden (Rocky Point, NY/Rocky Point) combined for nine goals and three assists on the evening. Sachse registered five goals and one helper with Vaden added four goals and two assists.
           
The Hawks held huge advantages in shots (50-19) and ground balls (43-28) in the game. 'Wick dominated the opening quarter, scoring five of six goals and out-shooting the Highlanders 13-2.
           
Houghton would grab the early advantage 42 seconds into the contest before Sachse tied the score 1:01 later. Sam Ferguson (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin), Sachse, Chris VanDemark (Painted Post, NY/Corning-Paited Post), and Vaden each scored in the final 9:09 of the quarter to up the margin to four, 5-1, after 15 minutes.
           
Hartwick added to its total with three straight goals to start the second quarter. Vaden netted the first two 'Wick scores with Cody Petillo (Holbrook, NY/Sachem North) also tallying. Vaden and Sachse scored two in a row 59 seconds apart later in the quarter before the hosts scored with under two minutes left for a 10-3 Hartwick lead at halftime.
           
After an early Houghton goal in the third quarter, Petillo and Sachse would score to increase the Hawks' advantage to eight, 12-4. The two teams traded goals in the final 29 seconds. Jared Meshil (Somers, NY/Somers) scored his first goal in a Hartwick uniform at 18 seconds for a 13-5 edge after three quarters.
           
Petillo, Conner Long (Hardwick, NJ/Blair Academy), VanDemark, and Sachse added tallies in the fourth quarter for a 17-6 lead before Houghton got the game's final goal.
           
David Bianculli (Charlton, MA/Shepard Hill Regional) led all players with seven ground balls on the night. Meshil contributed six ground balls and James Vogt (Stratham, NH/Exeter) added five. Garrison Wojtas (Hauppauge, NY/Hauppauge) caused a game-high four turnovers for the Hawks.
           
Mike Rourke (Long Beach, NY/Long Beach) made three saves in the opening half in the Hawks' cage. Sam Nowak (Lockport, NY/Lockport) played the final 30 minutes in his first action between the pipes this season.
           
Cole Chapman led Houghton with three goals. Paul Chapman added two scores and one assist.
           
The Hawks next play on Wednesday, April 27 at Utica College in their final road game of the season. Game time is 4 p.m.