PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (02/15/2020) – Chestnut Hill College men's lacrosse came out firing in its first game of 2020, setting the program record for most goals scored in a game as the Griffins defeated the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), 27-11.

The Scarlet and Gold (1-0) had 11 different goal scorers and four players record hat tricks, including junior attacker Carson Rees (Port Coquitlam, British Columbia), who scored a game-high five goals.

The Firebirds (0-1) were outshot 50-40, but the real difference came in goalie performance. The Griffins' trio of netminders – senior Mike Trezza (Forked River, N.J.), senior Stephen Hogan Jr. (Doylestown, Pa.), and sophomore Jake Miller (Castle Rock, Colo.) – tallied 17 saves, including a game-high nine from Miller, compared to nine in total for UDC.

Chestnut Hill College started the game strong, running out to a 7-3 lead in the first quarter. It started to get out of hand late in that opening period and into the second quarter, when the Griffins used a 7-0 run to hit an 11-goal lead. With four goals each from Rees and junior midfielder Scott Wilden (Wexford, Pa), the Scarlet and Gold went into the half up 17-6.

Picking up right where they left off, the Griffins scored the first seven goals of the second half to reach their largest lead of the game, 18 goals, before cruising to the finish line of the offensive opening day win.

Rees converted five of his eight shots, putting seven on target to lead the prolific Griffin offense. Junior attacker J.R. Howell (East Meadow, N.Y.), who finished with two goals, dished out a game-high six assists. Junior attacker Maurice Kelly (Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta) tallied a game-high nine points (four goals, five assists) in his Chestnut Hill College debut.

The Griffins are back in action at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, February 18 in a road clash with Saint Thomas Aquinas College, before returning home Saturday, February 22 for a game against No. 4 Mercyhurst.