NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Southern Virginia University men's lacrosse team extended its winning streak to six games with a 21-8 victory over the United States Merchant Marine Academy Thursday morning. 

On the offensive side of the ball for the Knights (7-1), Tennison Schmidt recorded a career-high nine points in the form of five goals and four assists followed by Zach Danneman, who tallied a hat trick and two assists for five points. Senior Isaac DeGarlais had his best game of the year with a season-high three goals. 

Defensively for Southern Virginia, goalkeeper Dalon Hampshire recorded nine saves on 16 total shots while senior Kyle Fujikawa recorded a career-high four caused turnovers along with two ground balls. Long stick midfielder Nick Bair and defensive midfielder Shawn Lamb rounded out the defense with the duo combining for 11 ground balls. 

With 13:21 on the clock in the first quarter, Carter Bean created space from his defender to score an unassisted goal to put the Knights up 1-0. After a Mariner (0-4) goal to tie the game at one, junior Ty Veres scored his first goal of the game coming off a Schmidt assist to put Southern Virginia up by one goal 2-1 with 9:46 remaining in the first quarter. Merchant Marine closed out the quarter on a 2-1 run with the second goal coming 11 seconds before the quarter ended to head into quarter two with the game knotted at three. 

Bean mirrored the first quarter, kicking off the scoring this time coming off a Veres assist to give the Knights the go-ahead goal and making the new score 4-3 with 14:13 remaining in the first half. Following a Mariner goal by Jackson Misner unassisted goal, Southern Virginia used a 4-0 run sparked by a Schmidt unassisted goal to put the Knights up by four goals 8-4 with 9:01 on the clock. Each team exchanged points making the new score 9-6 with 5:22 remaining before Southern Virginia outscored Merchant Marine 3-1 led by two Danneman goals to head into the halftime intermission with the 12-7 advantage. 

At the break, the Knights outshot the Mariners 33-19 while converting on ten of 13 clears. Merchant Marine held the advantage at the half in groundballs 24-22 and securing the face-off x going 12-for-21. 

Southern Virginia's defense stood its ground in the third quarter holding Merchant Marine scoreless and forcing ten turnovers. The Knight's extra-man unit converted on its first man-up opportunity following a stalling and pushing call with an S. Lamb goal coming off a Bean assist tom make the new score 13-7 with 12:17 on the clock. Three minutes later, DeGarlais added his second goal of the game off an unassisted goal doubling up the Mariners 14-7. The Knights again capitalized on two Merchant Marine penalties, and Schmidt scored the extra-man goal off a Danneman assist put Southern Virginia up 15-7. Degarlais closed out the third-quarter scoring with his third goal of the day to go into the final 15 minutes of play with the 16-7 advantage. 

The momentum carried into the fourth quarter with Southern Virginia opening with a 5-0 run led by Schmidt's two goals while including sophomore Connor Haacke's first goal of the season, making the new score 21-7 with 2:33 remaining in the game. Nick Alberici of Merchant Marine scored the final goal of the game, coming off a holding penalty from the Knights, making the final score 21-8. 

The Knights finished the game outshooting the Mariners 65-31, with 33 shots being on goal. Southern Virginia improved on groundballs in the second half and won the groundball battle 48-44 while going 2-for-5 on the extra-man unit and 11-for-33 at the face-off x. 

Southern Virginia looks to keep its winning streak alive taking on Hampden-Sydney on Saturday, Mar. 21. The opening face-off is set for 1 p.m.