COLUMBIA – In a conference battle between programs just outside of the NAIA Top 10 Coaches' Poll, Benedictine Men's Lacrosse remained unbeaten on Saturday with a road win over Columbia (Mo.) College. 

Six points separated Columbia, who was the first team listed outside of the Top 10 in the most-recent poll, and the Ravens. Benedictine became the first Heart program to 4 conference wins as they earned a 22-8 win over the Cougars to hand Columbia its first loss in conference play.

Benedictine struck first on a goal from Trent Harder inside the first 4 minutes of the game. Columbia responded midway through the first quarter before the Ravens tattled off three straight from John Paul Torgersen, Charley McGlinn and Brayden Hope to pull ahead. Columbia added its second goal of the quarter inside the final 90 seconds to send the Ravens into the second quarter with a 4-2 advantage.

Benedicitne held Columbia to just two goals in the second quarter to take a 9-4 lead into halftime and then opened up the game with a 9-goal third quarter en route to the 14-goal win.

Benedictine finished with a 54-44 advantage in shots, as defensively, the Ravens finished with 21 saves. CJ Besuzzi matched his career high with 20 goals over 55 minutes in goal to earn the win.

Eight Ravens found the back of the net, led by Jonah Salem with 6 goals and 1 assist. Joey Calabria and Mason Eberle each scored 4 goals with Eberle adding 2 assists. Torgersen, Hope were and Harder with 2 goals each while McGline and Ian Madden finished with 1 goal each. Madden led the Ravens with 5 assists while Torgersen finished with 3. McGlinn, Salem, Hope and Harder all finished with 1 assist each.

Max Thomason won 18 of 28 face-offs, which account for every face-off for the Ravens in the win.

Jack Northrup and Malcom Castronova finished with 2 caused turnovers each.

Benedictine remains on the road for its next conference game, traveling to Fulton, Mo., for a match up with William Woods University before returning home for an 11 a.m. game on April 4 back on Legacy Field. 

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