BREVARD, N.C. – On a day in which it recognized four members of the 2018 senior class, the Brevard men's lacrosse team established the program record for wins in a season (nine), a perfect mark at home (8-0) and ran its program-record winning streak to six straight games with a 19-2 win over Averett.
The Tornados (9-2) were led offensively by the duo of Kyle Hunziker and Jackson McKaig, who finished with five goals apiece, while Hewitt Farr added four and Sam Duffie contributed three. Duffie also emerged with six assists, closely followed by McKaig (four) and Hunziker (three).
Defensively, Brevard received a game-high 15 ground balls from Robert Kokal. The Brevard goalkeeper tandem of Xavier Holmes-Copeland (three saves) and Peyton Mooney (four) made seven stops, with Holmes-Copeland moving his mark to 9-2-0 on the slate.
Teamwork by the Tornados allowed Farr and McKaig to score on passes by Duffie and Cole Hansen as Brevard established 2-0 advantage by the 10:07 mark of the first period. Averett sliced the lead in half, 2-1, on a strike by Keshawn Downing, but the Tornados capitalized on two goals off the stick of Duffie along strikes by Hunziker and McKaig to assume a 6-1 lead at the close of the first period.
Farr kept the Brevard offense rolling in the opening stages of the second period, netting the first goal of the frame at the 14:10 mark. Chris Efenecy extended the Tornado lead to 8-1 on an unassisted goal, ahead of Farr and Duffie notching the ninth goal of the afternoon.
Senior David Buono tallied his only goal of the contest as Brevard assumed the 10-1 advantage with 2:50 remaining. Hunziker and McKaig provided Brevard with the 10-goal advantage with the final goal of the first half, which came with 1:08 remaining.
The offensive onslaught for the Tornados continued in the third period as McKaig netted back-to-back goals to move the lead to 13-1. Hunziker matched his teammate's efforts with a pair of goals for Brevard, resulting in a 14-goal lead.
McKaig notched his final goal of the game with 1:14 left in the third, stretching the Tornado lead to 16-1. Duffie added the final goal of the period, following a pass from Hunziker, resulting in a 16-goal advantage.
Huziker tied McKaig for the lead in goals at the 11:55 mark of the fourth period when he drove home a McKaig pass for Brevard's 18th goal. Farr tacked on the final Tornado goal with 1:47 remaining. Averett managed one final goal 40 seconds later when Downing found the back of the net.
Brevard completes its season on the road at Union (April 7) and Pfeiffer, one week later. For more information on Tornado men's lacrosse check out www.bctornados.com.
