ELMIRA, NY – Twelve Hawks registered goals and 17 recorded at least a point as Hartwick's men's lacrosse team overwhelmed host Elmira College 23-4 on Wednesday night at Elmira Notre Dame High School. The win is the Hawks' fifth in a row. They improve to 5-1 on the season and 2-0 in the Empire 8. Elmira drops to 2-6 and 0-2.
           
Chris Gamber (Southington, CT/Southington) and Kainen Francis-Thompson (Hogansburg, NY/Massena) both had five-point nights for the Hawks. Gamber led the way with four goals and an assist. Francis-Thompson netted three goals and he dished out three helpers. Sam Ferguson (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin) contributed three tallies. Wyatt Long (Hardwick, NJ/Blair Academy) added two goals and an assist and Tim Watson (Wrentham, MA/King Philip Regional) and Mather Negron (West Barnstable, MA/Sandwich) each chipped in a pair of goals.
           
The Hawks finished the game with a huge advantage in shots, 64-15. They also had a 67-36 edge in ground balls and won 26-of-30 face-offs. The 'Wick defense forced 34 Elmira turnovers in the contest. It also held the Soaring Eagles to only 16 successful clears in 32 opportunities. In addition, the Hawks held the hosts without a shot for the opening 24 and a half minutes.
           
Hartwick put the game away early as it scored eight first-quarter goals. The Hawks tacked on another six in the second for a 14-0 advantage at halftime. They led by a count of 16-0 before the Soaring Eagles were able to get on the scoreboard. 'Wick led by as many as 22 (23-1) before EC scored the final three goals in the last 6:08 of the game.
             
Chris VanDemark (Painted Post, NY/Corning Painted-Post) scored a goal and delivered two assists in the game for Hartwick. Nick Couvaris (Seaford, NY/Seaford) added one goal and one helper. David Demand (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) chipped in two assists. Alec Lind (Ballston Lake, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake), Mike Majchrzak (Plantsville, CT/Southington), Dylan Ferguson (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin), Garrett Mancuso (Seaford, NY/Seaford), and Kyle Pearson (North Haven, CT/North Haven) all found the net on the night. Tyler Coleman (Round Lake, NY/Shenendehowa), Jacob Morenus (Homer, NY/Homer), and Justin Curreri (Miller Place, NY/Rocky Point) each had assists.
           
Twenty-five Hawks registered at least one ground ball. Garrison Wojtas (Hauppauge, NY/Hauppauge) led the way with a game-high 10. He also caused three turnovers. Zack Orth (North Haven, CT/North Haven) grabbed six. He also won all nine face-offs he was involved in. Coleman also recorded six ground balls and he won 7-of-8 face-offs. Francis-Thompson and Couvaris had five ground balls apiece. Gamber added four. Derek Chandler (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) caused a game-high four turnovers. Dylan Reynolds (Tappan, NY/Tappan Zee) won 9-of-12 face-offs.
           
C.J. Alesandrini (Schenectady, NY/Colonie), Jared Tiong-Smith (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin) and Christian Olsen (Glenville, NY/Scotia-Glenville) all played in goal for the Hawks. Alesandrini played the first half and was not called upon to make a save. Tiong-Smith played the third quarter without a save and Olsen played the fourth with three stops.      
           
Hartwick hosts Nazareth in another Empire 8 matchup on Saturday at Wright Stadium beginning at 2 p.m.
           
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