WEST POINT, N.Y. – No. 5 Army handed Lafayette a 15-5 decision in the Patriot League men's lacrosse opener on Saturday at Michie Stadium.
 
Brayden Fountain and Gunnar Fellows provided all of the offense the hosts needed, scoring four goals apiece, as the Black Knights remain undefeated. For the Leopards, freshman Nicholas Blalock paced the offense with two goals while senior Riley Sullivan added a goal and a pair of assists.  
 
Things were close through the first half. Freshman Joshua Heaney got the Leopards on the board three minutes into the game, scoring an unassisted tally for his fifth goal of the season. Army answered with a pair by Evan Plunkett and Fellows that gave the Black Knights their first lead of the afternoon at 6:52. Sullivan's 11^th goal of the season, off a Heaney assist, knotted the game at 2-2 with 5:56 left in the first. Fellows scored two minutes later and the hosts took a 3-2 lead at the end of the opening quarter.
 
As the second stanza commenced, Fellows found the back of the net again for the 4-2 lead. Blalock's first goal of the game at 7:27 pulled Lafayette within a goal, 4-3, half way through the second quarter. The Black Knights took control of the contest with five straight goals, two by Plunkett, to lead 9-3 at halftime.
 
After the intermission, Army continued to pull away, opening the second half with goals at 14:05, 10:48 and 10:37 for the 12-3 margin. Leopard freshman Mason Hill stopped the Army attack with his first goal of the season at 9:29 off an assist from Sullivan. Blalock added one more tally before the end of the third quarter as Army led 14-5 in the eventual 15-5 final.
 
Junior goalkeeper Joe Doherty faced 30 shots on goal on the afternoon, stopping 15. Sean Byrne played the majority of the time in net for Army, stopping nine shots.  On the day, Army fired off 30 shots on goal to the Leopards' 16 and held a slight advantage in faceoffs (13-11).
 
Lafayette continues Patriot League play March 8, hosting Colgate at noon.