SWARTHMORE PA. - Kicking off conference play with a bang, the Swarthmore men's lacrosse team took down Muhlenberg College by a score of 18-8 on Wednesday, Mar. 29.
 
Offensively, the Garnet were helmed by the Mabbs brothers, with junior Von Mabbs notching four goals and five assists, while first year Rex Mabbs tallied four goals and two assists.
 
First year Ryan Pretzer proved immovable in goal for Swarthmore, blocking out 16 saves while facing down 46 shots.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- While both squads struggled to score through the first half of the first quarter, Von Mabbs opened the floodgates seven minutes into the contest, sneaking a shot past the keeper for his first goal of the night. Mabbs' goal sparked a Garnet run, with Swarthmore taking a 5-0 lead before the period was up.

- The Garnet extended their lead in the second quarter, finding the back of the net three more times thanks to strikes from Rex Mabbs and first year Clay Almgren. While Muhlenberg were finally able to get on the board with 3:36 left to play in the half, Swarthmore responded with another dagger from Von Mabbs, stretching the Garnet's advantage to 9-1. The Mules would score at the buzzer, making the scoreboard read 9-2 at the break.

- Trying to spark a run, the Mules scored twice to open the second half. However, the Garnet's lethal offensive attack quickly squashed any hopes of a comeback, responding with two quick goals of their own to stretch their lead back out to 11-4. While Muhlenberg would find another goal less than a minute later, a Garnet barrage resulted in five more points for the Swarthmore, including a miraculous buzzer beating lazer from junior Carter Strauch.

- Looking to put the game away early in the fourth, Von Mabbs notched his fourth goal of the night just two and a half minutes into the period, growing the Garnet's lead to 17-5. While the Mules would score three more times in the final quarter, Swarthmore's lead proved insurmountable, as the Garnet dominated their ranked Centennial opponent, 18-8. 

GARNET LEADERS
Points: V. Mabbs (9), R. Mabbs (6), Almgren (5)
Goals: V. Mabbs (4), R. Mabbs (4), Almgren (3), C. Strauch (3)
Assists: V. Mabbs (5), R. Mabbs (2), Almgren (2)
Ground Balls: V. Mabbs (7), Pretzer (6), A. Strauch (5)
Saves: Pretzer (16)
 
UP NEXT
Staying at home to host another Centennial opponent, the Garnet will take on Franklin & Marshall College on Saturday, Apr. 1 at 12:00 p.m.