Box Score RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Redshirt sophomore attackman Robert Grasso (Islip, N.Y./Islip) became Felician University's all-time points leader and fifth-year senior defenseman Cody Hildebrand (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Central) recorded his 100th career ground ball as the Golden Falcons defeated D'Youville College, 17-3, in non-conference men's lacrosse action on a chilly Friday evening at Tryon Field.
The game was Felician's 2022 home opener. D'Youville, meanwhile, was competing in the first contest in the history of its program
Grasso scored three goals and matched his own Golden Falcon record of five assists. The eight points brought his career total to 66. Ausar Wright accumulated 59 points from 2019-21, the previous record for Felician, a fifth-year program. Grasso was playing in his 16th collegiate contest. His 10 assists in 2022 are already a Golden Falcon single-season record.
Hildebrand, meanwhile, picked up four ground balls and caused three turnovers on the day. He moved his career ground ball total to 102, joining current teammate Tajae McLean-Byrd (Bronx, N.Y./Mount St. Michael Academy) (215) and former teammate Pat Hemmer (104) as members of Felician's 100-ground ball club. Hildebrand, who has played in all 41 games in Felician history, extended his own school career record for caused turnovers, now with 25.
For the second consecutive game, Felician (2-0) set program records for most goals scored and fewest goals allowed. Freshman Filipe Correia (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) led the Golden Falcons with four goals and sophomore Jabes Escalante (Chelsea, Mass./Chelsea) joined Grasso with three. Felician's 60 shots in the game were also a school record, led by Escalante's 10.
Escalante and Grasso put Felician in front, 2-0 after two minutes, four seconds, of action. The hosts exited the first quarter ahead, 3-1, then broke the game open during period two. Felician scored seven times in the second, including twice during the final 26 seconds, and outshot the Saints, 20-1, for the period. D'Youville was unable to mount a comeback, tallying only one goal each during the third and fourth quarters.
McLean-Byrd was 16 for 19 on faceoffs, had a game-high 14 ground balls, and scored twice for Felician. Golden Falcon freshman long-stick midfielder Liam Dunn (Murfreesboro, Tenn./Waterford Kettering [Mich.]) notched his first collegiate goal. Felician freshman goalkeeper Nick Grebe (Farmingville, N.Y./Sachem East) made eight saves.
D'Youville's Reece Eck (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake) had 24 saves. Fellow freshman Nick Sholett (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) scored twice, including the first goal in Saint history with 1:38 left in the first period.
Felician travels to St. Thomas Aquinas College on Wednesday, March 2, for a 3 p.m. faceoff.
