NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – The Westminster Titans used a strong opening half of play to build a lead and eventually down the W&J men's lacrosse team by a 20-12 score Wednesday evening in a Presidents' Athletic Conference match at the UPMC Field in Lawrence County. 

The loss drops W&J to 2-4 in PAC play while Westminster improves to 4-2 in the league. 
 
Westminster opened the game with a 5-1 advantage in the first quarter. The Titans swelled their lead to 12-4 at halftime. Paul Shook (Camp Hill, Pa. / Trinity) netted a pair of scores in the second quarter as W&J attempted to end the first half on a good note. 
 
Aiden Herman (West End. NC/Pinecrest) scored a pair of goals during a stretch where W&J outscored Westminster by a 4-1 margin. Herman's goal off an assist from Shook at the 9:03 mark of the third quarter cut the deficit to 12-6. 
 
Westminster put the game away with four-straight goals to end the third quarter. The Titans led 17-7 after the third. 
 
The Presidents scored five of the eight goals during the final frame. 
 
Three members of the Red and Black netted hat trick during the game. Shook, Herman and Carter Watts (Gilberstville, Ohio/Boyertown) all scored three goals apiece. 
 
Watts finished with a seven-point night as he chipped in a team-best four assists. 
 
Ronin Keane (Medford, Mass. / Arlington Catholic) had five ground balls to pace the Presidents. Herman added three ground balls and three caused turnovers. 
 
Henry Beardwood (Wilmington, Del./Salesianum School) made 12 saves in goal. 

W&J is off this weekend. The Presidents will host Saint Vincent and Grove City next week to conclude the 2024 slate.