For immediate release – 5/9/2015 - #463
Austin Stewart Scores Eight as LC Men's Lax Defeats Aurora 19-8 in NCAA Second Round 

LYNCHBURG, VA – Junior Austin Stewart scored eight times Saturday evening to lead the fourth-ranked Lynchburg College men's lacrosse team to a 19-8 victory over Aurora University (IL) in the second round of the 2015 NCAA Division III Tournament. 

Jason Koziol scored the game's first two goals for the visitors before the Hornet offense got untracked. LC netted 13 of the next 14 goals over the next 17 minutes to take a commanding 13-3 lead midway through the second quarter. LC led 14-4 at intermission and had at least a nine-goal lead the rest of the way.

Stewart scored five of his eight goals in the first period, and added an assist. Both Sean Ahearn and Chris Cornelius had four goals as the three players combined for 16 tallies. Aaron Murphy had four assists and Jacob Fuller, Bobby Distler and Cullan Ganley also found the back of the net. Colin McGuire had two helpers. 

In two NCAA Tournament contests, Stewart has 13 goals and three assists, and now has 101 goals on the season. He is tied for second in Division III history for most goals in a season, with Brad Downey from Whittier holding the all-time mark with 107 in 1996. 

Distler controlled the face-off circle, winning 22 of 28 draws and scooped a school-record 15 ground balls. Chris Hower and Hunter Thompson each caused two turnovers.  

Koziol finished with three goals for Aurora (14-8) and Garret Rosiek had three assists. Max Obriecht and JK Torres each had a goal and an assist.

Lynchburg (19-2) advances to face Salisbury University Wednesday in Lynchburg for an Elite Eight game at 7 p.m. The Hornets are riding a 17-game winning streak, with their last loss on March 10.

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