BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C.— The Montreat men's lacrosse team added a home non-conference game to its schedule Thursday night when it played host to the Tusculum University Pioneers at Pulliam Stadium. In the battle between the NAIA and NCAA Division II programs, the Cavaliers couldn't keep up with the visitors' attack, losing 25-9 on the scoreboard and falling to 1-7 on the season.
 
Tusculum (1-6) broke the scoreless deadlock 2:10 into the matchup, but Johnny Miles quickly leveled the contest 12 seconds later thanks to his sixth strike of the season. Grayson Scott then put the Cavs on top, 2-1, with his fifth goal of the year just 64 seconds after the equalizer.
 
Montreat's lead evaporated shortly thereafter as the Pioneers scored seven consecutive goals. TU maintained a 4-2 lead after 15 minutes of action, and it expanded its advantage to 8-2 with 8:04 remaining in the second quarter.
 
Justin Holland set up Miles' second tally of the game to cut the Cavaliers' deficit down to 8-3, but four more Tusculum goals prior to the intermission saw the away side enter the break up 12-3.
 
The visitors utilized strong edges in faceoffs won (14-3) and ground balls (33-14) to create 20 more shot attempts (35-15) than Montreat. Shots on goal (18-4) and caused turnovers (6-3) also favored TU, but the Cavs did register more successful clearances (13-9) than their counterpart. Josh Espinosa recorded six saves through 30 minutes.
 
Eli King got the hosts on the board in the third quarter, and Jay Chance deposited two shots into the Tusculum net; however, despite those three strikes, the Pioneers tripled Montreat's score in the frame, collecting nine goals en route to a 21-6 edge with one period to go.
 
The Cavaliers notched three of the initial four goals in the final quarter, with King, Scott and Chance racking up the scores to bring the gap to 22-9. Tusculum came back with three more tallies of its own, though, as it put the finishing touches on a 25-9 road win in Black Mountain, N.C.
 
TU accrued at least twice as many shots (67-33), shots on goal (40-15), ground balls (72-28), faceoffs (32-5) and caused turnovers (12-4) as Montreat. Meanwhile, the hosts racked up more clears (25-15) and saves (15-6). Chance led the Cavs in goals scored with his hat trick, and Scott totaled a pair of assists to go along with two strikes. Espinosa ended the night with 10 saves, while Brandon Sandoval made five stops during the fourth quarter.
 
The Montreat men's lacrosse team starts a 3-game road trip on Monday when it visits No. 2 Webber International University for Appalachian Athletic Conference play. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. in Babson Park, Fla.