The defense stood out as the University of Mary Washington men's lacrosse team broke open a tight game late to defeat Washington (Md.) College, 12-10, on Wednesday afternoon at a rainy Battleground. The Eagles, who score their first-ever win over the Shoremen, improve to 4-2 on the season.

After Washington opened the scoring on a man-up situation, the Eagles immediately responded off the faceoff, as Jacob Fowler gained the faceoff and assisted Dave Votapek on the score. UMW gained the lead with 10:04 left on a Logan Cardwell goal, and added another with 5:54 remaining from Reece Stone. WC netted three goals in the final 1:16 to take the lead to the second quarter.

In the second, James Milligan knotted the score on a Stone assist with 13:06 left, and Jackson Popeck put UMW ahead on a Votapek assist with 7:23 remaining. The Shoremen tied the score to end the second and went ahead with another to open the third. From there, Bryce Ridge netted not one but two scores in a 3-0 run, with Popeck adding his second of the day. Wash College trimmed the margin to 8-7 entering the fourth with a man-up score to cap the third.

The Eagles started strong in the fourth, with Cardwell, Popeck, and Stone netting goals to up the lead to 11-7 with 8:42 left. After a Shoremen score, Moag scored with 3:56 left on a Popeck feed. The Shoremen scored twice in the waning minutes but the Eagles prevailed.

The Eagles led in shots, 41-33, as well as ground balls, 33-26. UMW goalkeeper Wyatt Martin made 10 saves on the night in gaining his fourth win.

UMW will be back in action again on Saturday when the Eagles visit Messiah University at 1:00 p.m.