DANVILLE, Va.  A string of six unanswered goals that began in the second quarter and ran through the third widened the gap Saturday afternoon at Averett University, allowing visiting Methodist to eventually claim a 15-8 USA South Athletic Conference men's lacrosse victory over the Cougars in each team's final game of the 2021 schedule.

Eight different Monarchs scored in the contest, led by three goals each from Matt Pemberton and Matt Bentz.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Methodist def. Averett, 15-8
Records: Methodist 6-6 (4-4 USA South), Averett 4-9 (0-8)
Location: Daly Field at Frank R. Campbell Stadium; Danville, Va.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Bentz initiated the Methodist spurt, scoring at the 5:31 mark of the second quarter off an assist from Chris Andes.
• The Monarchs had opened the game with four unanswered goals, and after Averett finally got on the scoreboard to end that string, Pemberton responded with a goal that gave Methodist a 5-1 lead with four minutes remaining in the opening period.
• Early in the second, though, the Averett attack had gained traction and closed to within two, 5-3, before Bentz started the back-breaking streak by the Monarchs.
• The second of that string was also from Bentz, followed by goals by Jesse Leyble, Kit Allman, Pemberton and finally, another from Bentz for his hat trick.
• Averett netted three unanswered of their own afterward, cutting an 11-3 deficit to 11-6, but Tyler Bennet scored for Methodist five minutes into the fourth quarter to halt the Cougars' momentum before Hunter Vaughan, Matthew Sheinfeld -- in his final collegiate game -- and Carter Favreau closed the book on the Monarch scoring binge.

GAME NOTES

• Goalkeeper Cameron Brink finished the afternoon with 11 saves for the Monarchs, while Averett's Jacob Shriver came away with 12.
• Averett had the advantage at the dot, winning 16 of 26 faceoffs, and scooped up a 45-36 edge in ground balls.
• Methodist had the upper hand in caused turnovers, 14-10, paced by Justice Davis' game-high four and Tyler Bennett's three.
• Neither team was very exceptionally proficient while on man-up opportunities. Methodist converted on just 1 of 4 chances and the Cougars scored twice on their five tries.

A LITTLE MORE

• The three goals Saturday from Bentz gives the freshman four in his first season with the program.
• Pemberton's hat trick lifts his team-leading scoring total to 30 goals on the season. Combined with two assists in Saturday's victory, Pemberton finishes his junior campaign off with a team-high 43 points.
• Faceoff specialist Harrison Williams ends the season with a team high 53 ground balls. Bennett, a part-time faceoff substitute, was next with 48.
• Mark Chatt's 19 assists this season elevates his career total to 60, a program record.
• Pemberton's 56 career goals tie the junior for eighth all time in program history, and his 82 points are eighth all time.