Trojans Secure Win Against Columbia in Home Opener
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Columbia
(0-4)
|
2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 8 |
|
Taylor
(2-4)
|
5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
Broadcast Highlights | Sideline Highlights
UPLAND, Ind. – A stretch of five-unanswered goals midway through the opening half helped tilt Taylor's home-opener in favor of the Trojans, and a strong closing act put the finishing touches on a 12-8 victory for TU.
Taylor overcame an early 2-1 deficit with a 5-0 burst, fueled by four assists from Aidan Craig and two scores from Jackson Dale. The Trojans never relinquished the advantage from there, controlling possession throughout and fending off all Columbia (0-4) bids at a comeback.
The game remained tightly contested however, with Taylor holding a 10-8 lead with under five minutes remaining. The Trojans iced the victory with a man-up goal from Craig and the clincher from Reid Gerig with 1:04 remaining.
Taylor shut out the Cougars over the final 15 minutes, and allowed just three second-half goals to protect the lead.
TU won 13-of-22 faceoffs on the work of Carlton Best and used that possession advantage to out-shoot the guests by a 61-28 gap.
Gerig led the Trojans with four goals, with Will Saxby adding three scores and five ground balls. Dale also scored multiple goals with two, and Craig finished with one goal, six assists and four ground balls.
Other Taylor highlights came from eight ground balls scooped by Carter Prieditis and 14 saves in net from Ben Harrell.
Taylor (2-4) will return to action on Saturday, March 16, when it welcomes Mount Vernon Nazarene (4-0) to Wheeler Field for a 1:00 pm start.
Team Stats
Columbia
| Game Statistics | Columbia | Taylor |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | 28 | 61 |
| Ground Balls | 33 | 45 |
| Saves | 21 | 14 |
| Clears | 21-28 | 24-28 |
| Turnovers | 22 | 18 |
| Face Offs Won | 9 | 13 |
| Man Up | 1-7 | 5-15 |
