Knights Roll Past Mercer, Slated as #2 Seed in Regional Tournament.
The #3 Nationally Ranked CCBC Essex Knights Men's Lacrosse team finished the regular season on a high note, defeating the Mercer CC Vikings on the road 18-5.
The Knights boast one of the nation's best offenses, coming into the contest averaging 16.36 goals per game, which is good for 5th. The squad showcased that offensive firepower early, as they raced out to a 3-0 lead in the first five minutes of the contest. Mercer responded with two quick goals of their own. The Knights took that personally, as they rattled off 12 unanswered goals between the second and the fourth.
The fourth would see Mercer score three goals, but those goals were too little too late as the margin was too large, and the Knights would score four goals of their own.
The Knights offensive onslaught was led by Peyton Moritzen, Joshua Cruikshank, and Jacob Bieschke who finished with three goals each. The defensive effort by the Knights spurred offensive success. The team forced a total of 20 turnovers. Thomas Barton and Eric Smith each had five. Goalie Colin Parker was a stalwart on the backend, notching eight saves.
The win moves the Knights record to an impressive 10-2, which earns them the second seed heading into the regional tournament. They'll look to run the table, but the first opponent standing in their way is the Howard Dragons in the Semifinals. Gametime is set for Friday, April 25th at 4:00 PM.