The Nicholls lacrosse club defeated Austin College 24-2 in Lone Star Alliance action Saturday at the Nicholls practice football field.For the contest against Austin College, 10 different lacrosse players scored for the Colonels.

Sophomore attacker Dustin Schuetter led the team with five goals against Austin College. Junior defender Vigilio Gurdian, senior midfielder Robert Bleakley and junior attacker Johnathan Nobile scored three goals.

Sophomore midfielder Josh Sanders scored two goals, and junior midfielder Alfredo Soler, senior midfielder Jason Smith, sophomore midfielder Jason Grubb and sophomore attacker Jacob Dagate each scored one goal each.

Junior goaltenders Derek Stevens and Anthony Giardina each shared time blocking shots for the club. Stevens led the club with 37 saves on 110 shots, and he has given up 34 goals. Giardina has eight saves on 17 shots.

“We came out sloppy in the first half, but started to play as usual in the second quarter,” Billy Tauzin III, head lacrosse coach, said. “The Mardi Gras weekend and the weather did not allow for as many practices, which probably accounted for our slow start.”

“Lack of practice did not help us,” Tauzin said of the Mardi Gras vacation. “We need to get a full week in to get ready for UT-Arlington.”

At the start of the contest, Tauzin said the lacrosse club (5-1, 5-0 LSA) started the game slow offensively, but the production gradually increased as the game went on.

“We had another slow start again, but they finally got into the rhythm that we have played with all year,” Tauzin said. “By the end of the game we had defensemen shooting on goal. Virgil (Gurdian) even out-scored Austin College.”

Tauzin said the lacrosse club’s defense continues to play with fierce intensity. Tauzin also said the defensive intensity has earned a reputation across the Lone Star Alliance.

“They played great as usual,” Tauzin said. “The league knows about our ‘D’ and their reputation is not just talk … Those boys can play, and everyone knows it.”

The lacrosse club plays Texas-Arlington (4-2, 3-0 LSA) Sunday at noon at the football practice field. The matchup features the top two teams in the Lone Star Alliance B division, and the winner will be the favorite to win the division.

“The UT-A game is essential for seeding in the conference tournament,” Tauzin said. “The winner of Sunday’s game will most likely be the first seed in the tourney. This might be the biggest game we have ever played so far.”

“It will be a tough, hard fought game,” Tauzin said. “Both teams have lots of offense on both sides. It should be very much like the University of Houston game, but hopefully there will be a different outcome.