Ravens Coast Past Quakers

The Anderson University Ravens hosted the Earlham College Quakers on Wednesday in a non-conference match-up. In their first home game in over a month, the Ravens dominated the Quakers, earning their first win of the 2021 season in a 16-2 victory.

The Quakers (1-7) started the action with 14 minutes and 13 seconds remaining in the first quarter with a goal by Logan Reihing. Just two minutes later at 12:18 the Quakers Jason Slain scored their second and final goal of the game. With 11:08 remaining in the first quarter, Cole Whatley (Green Bay, Wis./Notre Dame Academy) opened up the Ravens' scoring off an assist by Tristan Wilbrandt (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral). The same duo of Whatley and Wilbrandt would go on to tie the game up 2-2 with 7:17 remaining in the first quarter. Josh Rhodes (Vienna, Va./James Madison) and Michael Ertel (Morrow, Ohio/Little Miami), who was assisted by Rhodes, closed out the scoring in the first 15 minutes for the Ravens (1-4). At the end of the first quarter, the Ravens led 4-2 over the Quakers.

The second quarter saw six goals for the Ravens by four different players. Rhodes earned his second goal on the day off an assist by Mason Bratcher (Louisville, Ky./Louisville Male) to get the second quarter scoring started. Whatley, who wasn't done scoring yet, earned himself a hat-trick with 11:34 remaining in the second quarter. Whatley was assisted by Logan Lawrence (Westfield, Ind./Westfield). Johnathan Havener (Kettering, Ohio/Kettering Fairmount) joined in on the Ravens scoring, getting his first goal of the game at 10:19 on the clock to give the Ravens a 7-2 lead over the Quakers. The goals continued to fly for the Ravens, this time Jacob Glowner (New Palestine, Ind./Roncalli) earned his first career goal, assisted by Whatley. With 2:59 remaining in the half, Whatley led the Ravens to their ninth goal. Havener off a Rhodes assist gave the Ravens their final goal of the half. Heading into halftime, the Ravens led the Quakers 10-2.

The Ravens had a pack of repeat goal scorers in the third quarter. Rhodes found the back of the net from a Lawrence assist. Havener earned his hat-trick and Whatley followed with his fifth goal of the game. Havener added one more before the end of the quarter, giving the Ravens a 14-2 lead.

With 7:41 remaining in the game, defender Bryce Johnson (Greenfield, Ind./Cathedral) earned his first career goal, assisted by Rhodes. Havener ended the Ravens scoring with his fifth goal of the game.

Six Ravens earned goals in Wednesday's game. Leading the Ravens were Havener and Whatley, each with 13 shots and five goals. Rhodes notched three goals and four assists. Ertel, Johnson and Glowner each found the back of the net. Lawrence and Wilbrandt dished out two assists apiece while Bratcher added an assist.

Josh Ekberg (Mahomet, Ill./Mahomet-Seymour) caused four turnovers while Johnson created three turnovers. Glowner and Havener caused two turnovers apiece. Whatley won 12-of-17 (70.6 percent) faceoffs and picked up nine ground balls. Lawrence collected six ground balls while Ekberg and Rhodes tallied five ground balls, respectively. Wilbrandt won 4-of-5 (80 percent) faceoffs.

Eric Fisher (Indianapolis, Ind./Southport) saved nine of the 11 shots he faced. The junior from Indianapolis set a school record for fewest goals allowed in a match and broke the school record for highest single-match save percentage (81.8 percent).

In total, the Ravens recorded 51 shots to the Quakers 18 and 41 ground balls to 21. The Ravens forced 26 turnovers on the night.

Wednesday's 16-goal game marked the most goals in the men's lacrosse program to date. Anderson allowed just two goals, which also marks the fewest goals allowed in a game in school history.

The Ravens open up the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) season on Saturday, traveling to Hanover, Ind. to take on the Panthers of Hanover College (2-3, 0-0). Faceoff is set to take place at 1PM.