Williamsburg, KY – Kody Swann set a new program record, while ten different players recorded at least one goal as the fifth-ranked UC men's lacrosse team defeated Missouri Baptist 18-11 Friday night. With the win the Patriots improve to 10-3 on the season and notch their second consecutive ten-win season.

The Patriots were in control right from the start as Swann won each of his first three faceoffs, which resulted in immediate goals by Dylan Crouch, Dalton Smith, and Caleb Elrick to give Cumberlands a 3-0 lead two minutes into the first quarter.  Missouri Baptist got on the board, before Preston Brooks found Whitten McCune for a goal to extend UC's lead to 4-1.  The Spartans (2-8) added a goal to cut the lead to 4-2 after the opening quarter.

Missouri Baptist won the opening faceoff of the second quarter and on the ensuing possession Jake Mitchell caused a turnover, scooped the ground ball, and connected with Darley for a goal to extend the lead to 5-2.  After the two teams traded goals, Henry Quaye fired a laser shot into the back of the cage to push the lead to 7-3 with 6:33 remaining.  Cumberlands added three unanswered goals, including a pair from Darley to take a 10-3 edge with 2:15 remaining.  Crouch scooped the ground ball off the ensuing faceoff and found Mitchell cutting towards the cage for a goal, while Anthony Gray capped off the run with an unassisted goal to give UC a 12-3 advantage. Swann won 16 of 17 faceoffs during the first half.

The Spartans looked to rally in the third quarter as they netted three straight goals, in a nine-minute span, to cut the lead to 12-6.  The Patriots took advantage of a Missouri Baptist penalty as Smith found McCune for the man-up goal at the 4:56 mark to end the scoreless drought.  The Spartans added another goal just over a minute to cut the lead to 13-7 aft three quarters.

Cumberlands came out strong to start the fourth quarter with Sam Collinson and Darley each notching unassisted goals to extend UC's lead to 15-7.  The two teams traded goals before Dylan Crouch found Preston Brooks cutting towards the cage for a goal with 6:40 remaining.  Two minutes later, McCune netted his second man-up goal of the contest, this time off an assist from Elerick, to give UC an 18-8 lead.  Missouri Baptist added three unanswered goals for the 18-11 final.

Swann led the way for the Patriots going 23-33 on faceoffs with nine ground balls. The 23 wins is the most for a single-game surpassing his previous career best of 21 set in the last game against Montreat.  Mitchell and Nick DiFranco each added eight ground balls apiece, while DiFranco forced two turnovers. Will Settle made nine saves in the game to improve to 10-2 on the year.

Offensively, Elerick led the way with a pair of goals and three assists, while Darley and McCune netted four goals each.  Crouch dished out three assists as Mitchell, Gray, Collinson, Smith, and Brooks tallied two points apiece.

The Patriots return to the field Saturday, April 6, as they remain in St. Louis to face (RV) Columbia in a neutral site game at 12 p.m.

For the latest and most up-to-date information on University of the Cumberlands Athletics, please visit www.cumberlandspatriots.com. Follow us on Twitter - @UC_Patriots, Instagram - @UCPatriots, SnapChat - @UC_Patriots, YouTube – Cumberlands Patriots, and Facebook by searching University of the Cumberlands Athletics.