LIVONIA, Mich. - The home opener for the Madonna University men's lacrosse team couldn't have gone any better, as the Crusaders came away with a 11-6 victory over the SCAD-Savannah Bees on Thursday afternoon from the Madonna Athletic Complex. It is the first win on home turf for Madonna since the 2021 season. 

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The visiting Bees were coming off a 10-9 overtime victory over the University of Michigan-Dearborn on Wednesday evening. Madonna tested SCAD as both defenses shined in the opening quarter. Neither offense was able to get anything going as the teams played a scoreless first quarter. 

In the second, it was the Crusaders who finally broke through with the first goal of the game, as Vince Floro found the back of the net off an assist by Kyle Gudme to make it 1-0. A little over a minute later Shane Alexander scored to make it 2-0, before the Bees cut the lead in half with a goal with 5:12 remaining in the half. Madonna however responded with a goal from Nick Bryden off a James Burbar assist, and took a 3-1 halftime lead. 

The third period saw the most offense from both squads, as both teams scored four goals each. Bryden and Alexander scored their second goals of the game for the Crusaders, while Zachary Lane and Nick Conrad joined the Madonna scoring party with goals of their own. The Crusaders still only led by just two goals at the end of three quarters, and needed a strong fourth to close out the game. 

Madonna did just that, getting quick goals from Gudme, Floro, and Conrad. The Bees were unable to get past the tough Crusader defense, and Madonna capped the game off with a man-down goal by Floro, who was assisted by the Crusader goalie Jeff Varner, who threw a pass the length of the field to the streaking Floro for the game-sealing goal. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
 

• Varner finished the day with 20 saves in net for Madonna.
• Floro, Gudme, and Lane each had three points to lead the Crusaders. 
• Madonna outshot SCAD 49-35.
• The Crusaders were 20-of-24 on clear attempts for the day.
• Blazej Cimochowski and Gabe Vennard led Madonna in ground balls with five each. 

UP NEXT:

Madonna opens conference play against Taylor University (Ind.) at 1:00 PM Saturday from The Madonna Athletic Complex. 

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