CONWAY, Ark. – Centre men's lacrosse closed the regular season on a high note Sunday, vanquishing Hendrix by a 9-0 score at Young-Wise Memorial Stadium.
 
Junior keeper Connor Jongewaard recorded 22 saves – two off Centre's single-game record – and buoyed a defense that turned in just the second shutout in program history.
 
The Colonels finish the regular season 10-4 overall and 4-2 in the Southern Athletic Association, earning the two-seed in the upcoming conference tournament based on a tiebreaker over Berry and Sewanee (fewest goals allowed in conference play).
 
Hendrix falls to 5-9 overall and 1-5 in the SAA.
 
HIGHLIGHTS
- Senior Leland Gray scored just 90 seconds into the game after Adam Johnson forced an early turnover.
- Nic Malubay finished with two goals in opening the period, as Centre carried a 4-0 lead after 15 minutes.
- Centre would lead 6-0 at the half as Gray and Jack Shannon added scores. Jongewaard went into the break with nine saves and the Colonels claimed five of the first eight faceoffs.
- The Colonels wouldn't need much scoring in the third or fourth quarters as the defense continued to stifle the host Warriors.
- Centre forced 12 second-half turnovers and Jongewaard turned aside 13 more shots to save the shutout.
- Gray, Malubay and John Morrison added to the final tally.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Jongewaard's 22 saves topped his previous career-high by one, and his perfect save percentage raised his season mark to 62.2%.
- Shannon caused four turnovers in the win, adding a pair of assists and a goal. Nola Irey followed with two caused turnovers while chipping in an assist.
- Anthony DiMichele recorded one goal and one assist.
 
UP NEXT
The Colonels earned a bye in the first round of the SAA Tournament, and will meet the winner of 3-seed Berry vs. 6-seed Hendrix in the semifinals Friday, April 26, at Rhodes.