ELKINS, W.Va. -

Men's Lacrosse opened up their 2019 season with a close game against the University of the District of Columbia on Saturday at Nuttall Field.

The visiting Firebirds scored their first goal early and built a 3-0 advantage, but the Senators quickly recovered, scoring their first goal of the season with George Sfarnas, assisted by Matt O'Dwyer, nine minutes into the opening quarter.

The two teams exchanged two goals each, first with Matt O'Dwyer, and then with Nolan Morrison with three seconds to go, making it 5-3 through the first quarter.

The Firebirds pushed harder in the second period, finding the net five more times, to build a 10-4 lead at the half. Haydn Sitler gave Trevor Kennedy an assist 12 minutes into the second quarter for the Senators' only goal of the period.

The Firebirds scored four more goals in the third period,  but in the fifth minute of the third quarter, Matt O'Dwyer would get his second goal in the game, assisted by Kennedy. Kyle Durec added one more to the count, assisted by Sfarnas, ending the quarter at 14-6. 

The Senators' rallied in the fourth quarter, scoring six goals to cut the deficit to four late in the game. Matt O'Dwyer scored his third and last goal of the game only nine seconds into the period, assisted by Matt Dyck. 

The next ones to get on the scoresheet were Aidan O'Dwyer and Ian Nelson, both on unassisted efforts. Six minutes before the end of the game, Durec would score his second goal. Ian Nelson gave him the assist. 

Two more players would also score their first goals of the season in today's game. Dyck was able to break through the visitors' defense and find the net five minutes before the end of the game. 

Three minutes after the goal, Dyck would help with his second assist of the day to Bobby Palermo, who fired the last shot that went in for Davis & Elkins, closing the game at 16-12. 

D&E outshot the visitors 45-42, forcing their goalkeeper to make 14 saves. The Senators' goalkeepers Kyle Seago and Luke Norcross played one half each. Norcross had six saves, and Seago added five.

The Senators will return to action on Monday, March 4th as they face Newberry College for another non-conference contest on Nuttall Field. The game is set for 1:00 PM.