DEMOREST, Ga. – Centre men's lacrosse scored eight unanswered in the second half and got a strong performance in-goal from Connor Jongewaard Wednesday evening, defeating Piedmont by an 11-4 margin at the Walker Athletic Complex. 
 
Centre improves to 5-3 overall, defeating Piedmont (3-6) for the fifth time in as many tries since the program formed in 2011.
 
Jongewaard set a personal best with a 73.3% save percentage, recording 11 stops in total. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS
- All of the first-half scoring came in the opening quarter, which saw the teams play to a 2-2 draw.
- Nic Malubay and Leland Gray provided the scores for Centre.
- The teams went into the halftime break still locked into a 2-2 tie, with Centre out-shooting Piedmont 18-14. The Lions won five of the first six faceoffs, however.
- Following a goal from Malubay early in the third, Centre surrendered two consecutive scores to find itself trailing, 4-3.
- The Colonels would go on an eight-goal run from then on, though, turning a close contest into a runaway victory in barely more than a quarter.
- Jack Shannon scored twice to put the Colonels back on top, and Chase Poplin added a late goal in the third period to make it 6-4.
- Centre blanked Piedmont and scored five more in the fourth, with others including Vincent Pisacano, Anthony DiMichele, Will Lathram and Drew Greenblatt adding to the total. 
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- After claiming just one faceoff in the first half, the Colonels would go 7-for-13 in the second half to help the battle for possession. 
- Malubay recorded his second hat trick of the season and sixth of his career.
- Jongewaard and Luke Johnson each had four ground balls for Centre, and Johnson also led the team with four caused turnovers. 
 
UP NEXT
The Colonels return home this weekend, hosting Southern Athletic Association rival Berry at 12 p.m. Saturday inside Farris Stadium.