LYNDON CENTER, Vt. – The Maine Maritime Academy Mariners left Lyndon with a win Sunday as they defeated the Hornets 5-0.

Just 14:35 into the contest Tom Samson stole the ball from a Lyndon defender and beat goalkeeper Jason Marks (Newtown, Conn.) to the short side. That put the Mariners up 1-0. They would take a 2-0 lead when Gabriel Warren scored off a corner kick as the ball found the back of the net through a crowd of defenders.

The first half ended with Maine Maritime leading 2-0. Lyndon Head Coach Pete Kellaway talked about how his team played throughout the match.

"We were physically prepared. Give credit to Maine Maritime they stepped up their game and beat us to every loose ball," he said. "It's difficult to win when you're not winning the fifty-fifty balls."

The afternoon became more difficult for the Hornets as Jonathan Reeks found himself positioned perfectly when Henry Hersey shot the ball from 18 meters out. Marks made the initial save but was unable to recover from Hersey's shot. Reeks kicked the ball into the wide-open net to give the Mariners a 3-0 lead.

"I think we're every bit as talented as they are," said Kellaway. "Just seems like we had a lack of focus. When your entire team has a bad day, it's going to cost you. We just didn't play well as a team."

Maine Maritime would add goals by Samson – his second of the contest – and Bryan Soucy in the second half and leave Lyndon Center with a 5-0 North Atlantic Conference victory.

Kellaway said the unseasonably hot temperatures affected the way his team played the game and that they were tired from competing yesterday. He also mentioned that some of the things that have been working for his squad thus far did not work today.

"In the first couple games this year we had the ability to connect those first four to five passes in a row - that was our strength," he said. "It leads to opportunities. Because we couldn't connect on those passes, the opportunities didn't present themselves."

Maine Maritime outshot Lyndon 19-8 in the game and held a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks. Marks and Matt LaClair (Beekmantown, N.Y.), who came on in the second half, made four saves for Lyndon while MMA goalie Marshall Spear turned aside two shots to earn the shutout.

Lyndon (4-5, 1-2) return to action Saturday when it travels to Waterville, Maine for a NAC matchup with Thomas College. Game time is 1 p.m.

"We had a great weekend and there was plenty of alumni around," said Kellaway. "It was a wonderful environment and we will be better going forward."

-    Matthew Drew, Sports Information Assistant