ASHLAND, Va.  Matt Pemberton scored four goals in Methodist's season opener Saturday afternoon at Randolph-Macon College, but the host Yellow Jackets swarmed the Monarch cage much of the day to come away with a 19-5 non-conference men's lacrosse victory over visiting Methodist.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Randolph-Macon def. Methodist, 19-5
Records: Methodist 0-1, Randolph-Macon 1-0
Location: Day Field; Ashland, Va.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Tied at 1-1, Randolph-Macon went on a 9-0 run that lasted into the second quarter, then took a 12-2 advantage into the halftime break.
• The Yellow Jackets opened the scoring but Pemberton answered 83 seconds later to tie the game, getting a rare goalkeeper's assist from Clay Stevenson.
• Pemberton trimmed the deficit with a man-up goal in the third-quarter's opening minute. Following a slashing penalty by Randolph-Macon's Scott Ruelle, the Monarchs buzzed the Yellow Jacket cage with the man advantage and eventually scored with Pemberton taking a feed from Bryce Kephart.
• A pair of Randolph-Macon goals followed, but Pemberton, then Kephart scored back-to-back to cut the lead down to single digits, 14-5.
• Those would be the final markers for the Monarchs, however, as the Yellow Jackets would finish the afternoon on a 5-0 run.

INSIDE THE BOX

• Pemberton's four goals ties his career high, set last season in an abbreviated (injury) freshman campaign.
• Stevenson's assist was the goalie's first career helper.
• Four Methodist goalkeepers -- Stevenson, Cameron Brink, Ian Davis and Matthew Liquori -- combined for 14 saves in the loss.
• Randolph-Macon owned a decided edge in shots (54-19) and ground balls (35-18).
• Nick Lemieux won six of Methodist's nine faceoff wins. Dakota Gross earned two at the dot and Kit Allman came up with one.
• Andrew Mayefskie and Stevenson tied for the team lead in ground ball pick-ups, with three apiece.

UP NEXT
Methodist will host Ferrum College in its home opener Saturday at 12:30 p.m. in Monarch Stadium.