HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. (February 26, 2023) – The No. 17 Denison University men's lacrosse team improved to 2-0 to start its 2023 season as the Big Red dominated the second half and earned a 13-8 victory on Sunday afternoon at Hampden-Sydney College.

It was the first meeting since 2004 between Denison and Hampden-Sydney (1-1), which is receiving votes in the latest USILA/Dynamic 2023 Men's Coaches Division III Poll, as the Big Red took a 3-2 lead in the all-time series between the two teams.

Trailing 5-2 in the second quarter, the Big Red closed out the first half with back-to-back goals by Ethan Tyack to make it a one-goal margin (5-4) at halftime.

From there, Denison outscored Hampden-Sydney 5-2 in the third quarter as Will Kenney both assisted on a goal and scored a goal in the final minute and a half of the period to give the Big Red a 9-7 advantage.

Then after a goal by Hampden-Sydney to make it a one-score game early in the fourth quarter, the Big Red shut out the Tigers the rest of the way and rattled off the final four goals by Reid Edelstein, Jack Hines, Nate Kay and Nick Vance to close out the victory.

Tyack finished with six points (4 goals, 2 assists) for Denison while Luke Fisher dished out three assists.

On the faceoff, Colin MacLean was 13-for-16 with five groundballs while Grant Larson was a perfect 9-for-9 and added six groundballs.

Hampden-Sydney outshot the Big Red 21-16 in the second half and 15-6 in the fourth quarter, but MacLean and Larson combined to win 13-of-14 faceoffs in the second half to help keep the Tigers from being able to string multiple goals together.

Archer Darrach finished with 11 saves, six of which came in the fourth quarter, and had a .579 save percentage.

In exactly one week, the Big Red will play at home for the first time this season in what will also be their first action this year against a fellow-nationally ranked team. Denison will welcome No. 11 Washington and Lee University into Deeds Field-Piper Stadium for an 11 a.m. showdown on Sunday, March 5.