Ettrick, Va. (Feb. 12, 2024)- Playing their first game in front of a home crowd, the Virginia State University men's lacrosse team dropped a close 15-13 decision against St. Thomas Aquinas. 

It didn't take long for the Spartans to go up by two goals with a score at 14:31 and 10:15. VSU would answer when Miles Jackson scored a goal on a man down opportunity to score the first goal on home turf for the Trojans that was followed by a goal by Elijah Bryant to tie the game at two. However, STAC would rattle off a five to nothing run from the 4-minute mark in the first quarter to 3:42 mark in the second quarter. 

Carrington Blair and Devray Kirkland II would find the back of the net just before halftime to make the deficiet only three, 7-4. In the first seven minutes of the third quarter the Spartans would rattle off four of the five goals scored to grow their lead to 11-5. Then in a 90 second period from the 7:32-5:59 mark Kirkland would score and Andre Bigham would net back-to-back goals to regain the momentum. VSU would enter the final stanza down 13-9 but seemed to have the game sway their way. 

In the final 15 minutes the Trojans would strike first when Kalani Laughlin scored another man down goal to help VSU hit the double-digit mark for the first time in program history. Laughlin would score all four goals in the quarter for Virginia State, but STAC would net two of their own to make the difference.  

Jaiden Harris and Tyrone Jones both lead the team with 6 ground balls. Jones also had a 50% clip inside the face off x (12-24). The team will play Saturday February 16 at 5 pm against District of Columbia inside Rogers Stadium.