SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Six players recorded multiple-goal games as the Union College men's lacrosse team downed Cazenovia, 20-2, Wednesday at Frank Bailey Field. Led by three goals from Gordon Burdis (Salt Point, N.Y.), the Dutchmen open the season 2-0 for the first time since 1986.

 

The Dutchmen received multiple-goal performances from Burdis, Brendan Kinnane (Little Compton, R.I.), Chip Miller (Rye, N.Y.), Kyle Tilley (Hamilton, Mass.), Scott Garibaldi (Summit, N.J.) and Ian Hunter (Providence, R.I.).

 

Union held a 3-0 advantage after the first quarter on goals by Garibaldi, Dana Lasher (Norfolk, Mass.) and Chris Collison (Trumbull, Conn.). The Dutchmen extended their lead to eight goals by the end of the half.

 

Andrew Higgins (Wrentham, Mass.) set up four of Union's second-half tallies, first feeding Burdis and Tilley for goals 12 seconds apart to open the third quarter.

 

Cazenovia (0-1) got on the board with 8:59 remaining in the third stanza when Gareth Fabian (Randolph, Vt.) waited patiently above the crease before circling around and firing a shot past Union netminder Rahde Franke (Harwood, Md.).

 

Fabian set up the Wildcats' second tally just under five minutes later, finding Pat Sauers (Saranac Lake, N.Y.) for the goal at 3:53 to cut Union's lead to 11-2.

 

The Dutchmen rattled off nine more goals, mostly coming in bunches as Chip Miller and Burdis recorded man-up goals less than a minute apart to open the fourth quarter. Steele and Burdis netted tallies nine seconds apart midway through the final frame before freshmen Benjamin Romer (Niskayuna, N.Y.) and Zach Weil (Waccabuc, N.Y.) struck less than 30 seconds apart with just over two minutes left in the game.

 

Franke made five saves in the first 45 minutes before giving way to Dhimitri Nikolla (Tuxedo Park, N.Y.), who stopped one shot in his collegiate debut. Wildcats' goaltender Chris Harrington (Cortland, N.Y.) made 18 saves, including seven in the fourth quarter.

 

The Dutchmen held a 47-21 advantage in ground balls while tallying four man-up goals in five chances; Cazenovia was scoreless in five man-up chances. Union successfully cleared the ball in 13 of 14 chances, while Cazenovia completed 13 of 20 clear attempts.

 

Union wraps up its three-game homestand with a 1 p.m. game against 14^th-ranked RIT (1-1) at Frank Bailey Field on Saturday, March 8.