Gwynedd Valley, Pa. - (2/26/2022) - Gwynedd Mercy University (1-1) earned Head Coach Blase Cesarone '17 his first career win in dominant fashion as they doubled up Juniata College in today's 16-8 final.

The Eagles scored the first goal of the game, 1-0 (13:52), but the Griffins quickly turned the tables with a pair of tallies (13:33, 11:47) from sophomore attack Jason Eide (Pleasant Hill, Calif.) and connection between freshman midfielder Ian Kish (Easton, Pa.) and sophomore midfielder Evan Yanuzzi (Easton, Pa.); 3-1 (9:42). Juniata College got one back with a man-up goal at 5:39, 3-2, but senior attack Cameron Ostroff (Wilmington, Del.) made sure the Eagle rally was short-lived as he found sophomore midfielder Tyler Long (Downingtown, Pa.) for a goal at 4:09 (4-2) and Yanuzzi for a goal at 2:14; 5-2. Sophomore midfielder Justin Carney (Flemington, N.J.) made the difference 6-2 when he finished a feed from sophomore midfielder Jack Freeland (Riverton, N.J.) with 1:49 to play in the first frame. The Eagles managed to cut the deficit to three goals by the end of the first quarter, 6-3 (0:43), but that is as close as they would get to Gwynedd Mercy University as the spread remained at three goals for halftime, 8-5 (7:31), before advancing to the eight-goal final.

Eide led Gwynedd Mercy University with six points (4 goals, 2 assists), four ground balls, and two caused turnovers. Ostroff totaled five points (2 goals, 3 assists) and recovered a ground ball, while Kish and Long finished with four points apiece. They each recorded three goals and an assist; the former also recorded five ground balls and a caused turnovers, while the latter added a pair of ground balls to his point total. Yanuzzi (2 goals, 1 assist) and Freeland (3 assists) finished with three points apiece. Junior defenseman Sam Flamma (Sewell, N.J.) headlined the Griffin back line with five ground balls and three caused turnovers. In goal, senior Aubron Swartley (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) and junior Chase McFeeley (Mullica Hill, N.J.) split the 60 minutes. Swartley recorded 10 saves in the first half and earned the win (1-1). McFeeley made five saves in the second half.

Gwynedd Mercy University plays next on March 5, when they visit Montclair State University for a 12:00 p.m. contest.