Lourdes took to the field for the first time in 2022 on Wednesday afternoon, and used a big second half to defeat Saint Andrews 16-5 in a neutral site contest played at Rocky Top Sports in Gatlinburg, Tenn.
 
"We're excited to start the season with a win," head coach Patrick Yannarelli said afterwards.  "The guys played with a lot of emotion.  We are looking forward to a quick turnaround and a tough opponent in Tennessee Wesleyan next."
 
Nick Johnson (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg H.S.) scored five times while Tyler Pezzot (Beavercreek, Ohio/Beavercreek H.S.) and Caden Louthan (Dripping Springs, Texas/Dripping Springs H.S.) each added four goals in the win.  Louthan had a six-point game with a pair of assists while Pezzot also had a helper.
 
Johnson and Louthan scored the first two goals of the game for the Gray Wolves, giving Lourdes a 2-0 lead less than seven minutes into the contest.  The Gray Wolves would not relinquish the advantage the rest of the way.  Leading 3-1 after one quarter, Lourdes extended the lead to 6-2 before the Knights tallied back-to-back goals late in the second quarter.  Pezzot found the back of the cage just before halftime though to extend the lead to 7-4 at the break.
 
Lourdes pitched a shutout in the third, scoring five times, and added another goal just 19 seconds into the fourth as the lead swelled to 13-4.  After one final Saint Andrews tally, Chad Causley (Clinton Township, Mich./L'Anse Creuse H.S.) scored the second of his two goals on the day while Johnson and Louthan concluded the scoring.
 
Mike Stibal (Commerce Township, Mich./Lakeland H.S.) also had a goal for Lourdes.  Kyle Schiel (Toledo, Ohio/Southview H.S.) and Zach Ruff (Valencia, Calif./West Ranch H.S.) each had two assists as well.
 
Ezequel Ceant (Vero Beach, Fla./Vero Beach H.S.) won 13-of-19 faceoffs and had nine ground balls while Johnson also had four ground balls.
 
In goal, George Hoexum (Ada, Mich./Forest Hills Eastern H.S.) made five saves in his collegiate debut.
 
Aldrich Cheng and Dylan Sawyer each scored twice for Saint Andrews (2-3) while Zachary Lomardi made eight saves in the cage.
 
Lourdes (2-0) travels to Athens, Tenn. on Friday afternoon to face Tennessee Wesleyan.  The opening faceoff is set for 3 p.m.