WESTMINSTER, Md. – Every member of McDaniel's starting attack and midfield recorded no fewer than two points to key an 18-7 victory over visiting Virginia Wesleyan in non-conference men's lacrosse action on Saturday.

Deane Mellor (Chadds Ford, Pa./Wilminton Friends School), DJ Rickels (Forest Hill, Md./Boys Latin School of Maryland) and Gibbs Preston (Baltimore, Md./McDonogh), who comprised the starting attack for the Green Terror (3-0), each recorded a hat trick. Mellor added two assists while Rickels and Preston had one helper apiece.

Travis Puls led the Marlins (2-3) with two goals and two assists.

Three Bill Warner (Yardley, Pa./LaSalle) assists in the game's first 5:16 staked McDaniel to an early 3-0 lead.

Just 1:52 into the game, Warner found Nicholas DiBernardo (Towson, Md./Calvert Hall) before finding Mellor two minutes later. With 9:44 to play, Mellor bounced home a Warner feed to stretch the lead to three.

Damian Becker and Adam Nycz closed the deficit to 3-2 with 6:32 showing in the first period but two straight goals from Rickels, including a man-up tally off Warner's fourth assist pushed the lead to 5-2.

Puls and Mat Dean (Glen Burnie, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) traded tallies in the final minute of the stanza to account for a nine-goal first quarter.

A Nycz man-up marker off a Puls feed pulled the visitors within 6-4 but the Green Terror reeled off the next five goals of open up a 11-4 halftime advantage.

Mike Hatton (Corning, N.Y./Corning East) had all three of his assists during the run while Preston tallied his three goals.

Virginia Wesleyan goals 30 seconds apart drew the Marlins within 11-6 with 12:21 to play in the third quarter but a 7-0 McDaniel run seeled the deal.

Matthew Daley (Wilmington, Del./A.I. Dupont) scored twice during the stretch.

Gabe Brumett set the final margin, scoring with 17.3 seconds on the clock.

Warner finished with five points on a goal and four assists while Hatton had four points on a goal and three assists. It was the first collegiate hat trick for Mellor and the five points marked a career best for the sophomore. Mellor also grabbed five ground balls.

Dean went 7-for-13 on faceoffs to go with his two goals while Jed Barnes (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) was 5 of 9 at the X. Matt Mummert (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern) picked up a team-best seven ground balls.

McDaniel returns to action at Mary Washington on Wednesday. Game time is 3:30 p.m.

2009-03-07