SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Westminster men's lacrosse opened the 2026 season with a dominant second-half performance Thursday afternoon, pulling away for a 21–6 victory over Dominican in RMAC action.
After trailing by four late in the first quarter, the Griffins erased the deficit before halftime and then exploded offensively after the break, outscoring Dominican 16–2 across the final two quarters to secure the road win.
Game Breakdown
First Half
Dominican jumped out to a 4–0 lead late in the opening quarter, capitalizing on early Westminster penalties. The Griffins responded with two man-down goals from Luke Sillstrop in the final two minutes of the period to cut the deficit to 4–2.
Westminster continued to build momentum in the second quarter, tying the game on goals from Drew Gonzales and Duke DeVault before Sillstrop scored his third of the half. The Griffins carried a 5–4 advantage into halftime.
Second Half
Westminster took control immediately after the break, scoring eight goals in the third quarter and holding Dominican to just two. The Griffins then added eight more goals in the fourth, holding Dominican scoreless over the final 15 minutes while stretching the lead to its final margin.
Individual Performances
Sillstrop finished with four goals, including two man-down goals late in the first quarter, while DeVault scored a game-high five goals on seven shots. Craig added three goals in the win.
Westminster received goals from 12 different players, including Owen Estee, Nolan Rodriguez, Hayden Hansen, Sam Dickman, and Nick Antonucci.
Defensively, Christian Jones played all 60 minutes in goal, recording five saves. Ben Weber contributed two assists and multiple caused turnovers, while the Griffins forced 28 Dominican turnovers overall.
Team Numbers
Westminster finished with a 70–26 advantage in shots and placed 44 shots on goal. The Griffins won the ground ball battle 32–19, went a perfect 14-for-14 on clears, and limited Dominican to 0-for-5 on extra-man opportunities.
Big Picture
Thursday's victory opens the 2026 season with a convincing road win for Westminster, setting the tone as the Griffins look to Concordia University Irvine on Saturday.
