ALBION -- In their 2021 home opener, the Albion College men's lacrosse team defeated Kalamazoo College, 21-11, led by an eight-point night by junior Jace Conley. With the win, head coach Jake DeCola picks up his 100th career win.

Conley paced the offense with five goals and three assists. Sam Puzevic scored a game-high six goals and added one assist. Freshman Brock Yabs scored a career-high four goals while fellow freshman Ethan Rottell added a career-high three assists.

Defensively, Joey Tatar had another stellar night, causing seven turnovers and picking up four ground balls.

After winning the opening face off, Albion wasted no time coming right down the field and scoring on a Puzevic goal off a feed from Josh Luketic. The Hornets answered with a goal one minute later to even the game at one.

Conley scored his first goal of the night on an unassisted shot with 10:32 to play in the opening period. Two Kalamazoo goals were answered in the waning seconds of the first quarter, when Rottell connected with Puzevic, knotting the game at 3-3 after one.

The Brits capitalized on a man-up opportunity early in the second, when COnley found Yabs for a 4-3 lead -- a lead they would not relinquish. Albion rattled off the next five goals, all from different players. Conley, Eric Fraeyman, Grant Chaffee, Yabs and Puzevic gave the Britons a 9-3 lead with just over nine minutes before the half. Puzevic closed out the Albion scoring for the quarter. The Britons took a 10-5 lead into the half.

Out of the half, Puzevic put the Brits back up by six with a goal off a pass from Conley. Another Kalamazoo goal was quickly answered by the Brits. Albion and the Hornets traded goals throughout the third, as the hosts led by five heading into the final quarter.

Caleb Kropp, Conley, Yabs (2), Eddie Symons and Jacob Castles all scored in the fourth, as the Britons outscored the Hornets 6-1 in the final period to secure the victory. Symons also picked up a team-high eight ground balls in the win while going 12 for 18 at the faceoff X.

Junior Jack Gogonis (3-0) made four saves in the win.

Head coach Jake DeCola on 100 career wins: "It is really awesome that Albion College has been so supportive of our lacrosse program over the years, and it is awesome for us to get to 100 wins and sometimes you have to do that anyway you can, even in a global pandemic. I am proud of our group and of course our seniors who all got out there today and led the way. But also, there are a lot of guys who graduated over the years that set the table for our team and I know they are watching and want us to be the best. Some days you feel really strong with two arms and some days you want to play like you have eight arms, but it just does not always work out that way. We have a lot of work to do if we want to do something pretty good this year, though."

Albion limited Kalamazoo's chances on man-up opportunities, holding the Hornets to just 2 of 6 with an extra man. The Hornets committed 36 turnovers compared to Albion's 18.

The Britons outshot the Hornets, 79-27. Albion was also near-perfect on the clear, registering a 20 of 23 mark.

Albion remains perfect at 3-0 while the Hornets still search for their first win, falling to 0-3.

Albion will host Transylvania on Saturday night for a non conference matchup. First faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.