Garden City, N.Y. - With the new turf of Motamed Field underfoot, the Adelphi University men's lacrosse team started 2019 with a flourish.

The Panthers (1-0, 1-0 NE10) scored a 15-8 victory over the Assumption Greyhounds (0-1, 0-1) in their season- and Northeast-10 Conference opener on Saturday afternoon, paced by a combined 12 points from Ian Kirby and Nicolas Racalbuto.

Senior Kirby tallied four goals, three in the first half, and three assists for a game-high seven points, while Racalbuto scored five times in a game in which just five Panthers found the back of the net with at least two goals apiece. 

In his first collegiate action in over a year following a redshirt season in 2018, Gordon Purdie, Jr. returned to the starting lineup for the Panthers and scored two goals, while adding two assists and two ground balls. 

After Michael Osmundsen and Assumption's Travis Reid traded goals in the first 3:26 of the contest, Kirby's first tally of the day with 10:11 left in the first quarter put the fourth-ranked team in Division II on top for good.

Though it was just a 6-4 game at halftime, Adelphi ultimately put the game away thanks to a big third quarter, in which it outscored the visitors by a 6-2 margin and Racalbuto found the back of the net three times.

In goal, Brendan McDougal earned his first win of the season with nine saves, while Kevin Rice made four in relief late in the fourth.

Adelphi heads south for its next two contests, beginning with a 1 p.m. tilt at Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, Fla. on Feb. 23, before following that up with a 12:30 matinee at the University of Tampa on Feb. 27. 

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About Adelphi Athletics
A regionally and nationally competitive NCAA Division II institution located in Garden City, N.Y., Adelphi University has been a proud member of the Northeast-10 Conference since 2009.

Winners of 16 NCAA Division II National Championships and four NE10 Presidents' Cups, Panther athletes have excelled at the conference, regional and national level, both on the field of play and in the classroom. In turn, the Adelphi athletic department is committed to fostering an environment of diversity, inclusion, equity and success where its student-athletes can thrive both on campus and off.

Stay connected with Adelphi Athletics by following the Panthers at aupanthers.com or via social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and wear your Panther pride by shopping official Adelphi Panthers gear at our licensed team store.