WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College men's lacrosse team notched a 13-5 victory over the visiting Pitt-Bradford Panthers, 13-5, in their 2025 home opener.
 
W&J pushes their streak of season opening victories to three consecutive years following today's victory. The streak began in 2023 as the Presidents bested La Roche on Wednesday (Feb. 22), 35-0. Head Coach Jacob Bow picks up his first victory as the Presidents first year head coach.
 
Paul Shook (Camp Hill, Pa./Trinity) led the Presidents in the offense department with four goals and three assists. Dylan Batche (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) and Sean McCaffrey (Silver Spring, Md./Albert Einstein) also compiled hat tricks on the day with three goals. Zach Mey (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) and Riley Bullock (Kennett Square, Pa./Wilmington Christian (Del.)) each added one score each.
 
Braden Petrarco (Irwin, Pa./Norwin) headed the face off efforts with 12 face off victories and 15 ground balls. Petrarco also added three caused turnovers and one goal.
 
The Panthers got on the board first with a goal at the 9:22 mark, which doubled as Pitt-Bradford's first program goal. W&J responded with three rapid-fire goals from Batche, Shook and Petrarco to put the Presidents up 3-1. Mey tacked on a goal at the 4:21 mark to keep W&J ahead after one quarter of regulation, 4-3.
 
After a brief stalemate to open the second quarter, the Presidents worked their way to a shutout quarter on the defensive end. The Panthers committed 13 turnovers in the second to the Presidents' seven. Shook ripped two goals in the quarter accompanied by goals from Batche and McCaffrey to head into the half up, 8-3.
 
With Noah Bracco (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic) in goal for the first time since the 2023 season, W&J opened the new half with a goal by McCaffrey set up by Shook at the 14:13 mark. Later in the quarter, Batche and McCaffrey each tallied their third goals on the day to elevate the W&J lead to 11-3.
 
In the final quarter of regulation, the Panthers and Presidents split in scoring as each unit tallied two goals. Shook scored the last goal of the contest off the dish from Mey to close the game out, 13-5.
 
Stephen Moschetta (Washington, Pa./Trinity) got the start in goal and picked up the victory for W&J with two saves. Bracco also snagged two saves in the contest while John Novoselich (Cornwall on Hudson, N.Y./James I. Oneill) grabbed one save in five minutes of work.
 
The Presidents won the turnover battle (UPB 44 – W&J 33) and took the advantage in face offs (17-5).
 
W&J hits the road on Tuesday (Feb. 18) to face Marietta in their first road contest of the 2025 season. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.