The #8 Aquinas men's lacrosse team bounced back from its lone WHAC loss this season just 48 hours ago with a dominating 18-5 home win against Taylor on Saturday (Apr. 8) in Grand Rapids. AQ led 9-1 at halftime – and eventually 13-1 in the third quarter – and totaled eight different goal scorers in the lopsided victory.
 
Now 3-1 at home in 2023, Aquinas improves to 6-4 on the year. The Saints are 3-1 in WHAC play. Taylor drops to 2-7 on the season and the Trojans are 0-4 in conference action.
 
In addition to posting a game-high 10 points on Saturday on the strength of a career-best seven assists, senior Mitch Haggart became AQ's all-time leading scorer with 270 career points. After scoring 68 goals in his inaugural season for the Saints in 2017, Haggart has played the last three years in Grand Rapids and has tallied 193 goals and 77 assists in his stellar four-year career. He passes former Aquinas great Sam Klinsky for the all-time lead, as Klinsky recorded 264 points from 2016-19.
 
Jon Jardis netted five goals and totaled eight points on Saturday, while Zachary Sweet scored four goals. Hunter Roberts added two goals and Oliver Modderman handed out a pair of assists.
 
The first eight goals of the game came from Aquinas, as goals from Haggart, Sweet (two), and Roberts pushed the Saints out to a 4-0 lead after the opening quarter. AQ's advantage doubled to 8-0 in the second quarter, as Jardis scored twice and Sweet and Roberts added tallies. Haggart assisted on four consecutive Aquinas goals in the opening half. The Saints took a 9-1 lead to the intermission.
 
Nico Kittredge and Kevin LaHaie scored with 17 seconds of each other early in the third quarter and Jardis notched two more goals for the 13-1 lead. Haggart posted two fourth quarter goals, along with Alex Rolands, Sweet, and Jardis closing out the scoring in the 18-goal effort.
 
The Saints outshot visiting Taylor 58-34 overall and held a 21-15 advantage in saves. AQ took advantage of extra man opportunities, scoring on 6-of-7 chances; Taylor was just 2-14 in those situations.
 
Clayton Boerigter posted 13 saves and only three goals against in the opening 46 minutes of action. Ricky Vega, Austin Hynote, and Beau Craig tended the final 14 minutes in net, giving up just two goals among the trio and stopping eight Trojan shots.
 
Jack Rioux picked up six ground balls, while LaHair, Boerigter, Reed Chastain, and Cooper Croskey added three apiece. Cam Gunn and Jack Lustig caused two turnovers each. The Saints caused 21 Taylor turnovers, while committing 19 turnovers themselves.
 
Aquinas' final four regular season games come against nationally-ranked WHAC opponents, starting next Wednesday (Apr. 12). The Saints travel to Southfield for a 6:00 p.m. showdown with #9 Lawrence Tech.