BOSTON, Mass. (February 18, 2026) – Western Connecticut State University pulled away in the fourth quarter to collect a 16-7 victory over Emerson College in a non-conference men's lacrosse matchup at Lester J. Rotch Field tonight.

Postgrad Michael Zapatka produced six points with three goals and three assists, while junior Cody Suhr netted five goals to lead WestConn to the win. Senior Tristan McMahon contributed two goals and two assists for the Wolves with a caused turnover, while freshman Thomas Keegan tallied three goals and an assist with six ground balls and a caused turnover. Sophomore Jake Kelly finished with 19 saves, three ground balls and a caused turnover in the Wolves goal.

First year Dylan Wong paced the Emerson attack with two goals and two assists with two caused turnovers and ground balls. Classmate Henry Bradley netted a team-best three goals for the Lions with four ground balls, while senior Ethan Corby finished with a season-high 17 saves in the Lions goal and two ground balls.

Zapatka sent WestConn into the second quarter with a 4-3 lead with his first goal of the afternoon with 1:29 remaining in the opening frame. The Wolves had scored three of the first four goals in the contest before back-to-back markers just 36-seconds apart from Bradley and junior Jett McCullogh pulled Emerson even midway through the quarter.

WestConn gained some breathing room by outscoring Emerson 5-1 in the second quarter. Suhr's third goal of the night, assisted by Zapatka, with 8:16 remaining in the quarter gave the Wolves a five-goal lead (8-3).

WestConn carried that advantage (9-4) into halftime and then stretched the lead to five (10-5) with Keegan's second of the night 3:07 into the third quarter. Bradley pulled Emerson back within four (10-6) with 10:20 to play in the third, but Suhr and Zapatka combined with 2:30 remaining to send the visitors into the fourth with a five-goal lead once again (11-6).

Suhr and Zapatka again teamed up for WestConn's opening goal of the fourth a man up less than three minutes in. Wong's second of the game pulled Emerson back within five (12-7) with ten minutes still to play, but the Wolves held from there and sealed the win with four unanswered, including a pair from Zapatka.

Up Next

Emerson (0-3, 0-0 NEWMAC) is back in action on Saturday when it visits Lasell University for a non-conference matchup at noon. The Lions return home next Friday, February 27, to host Roger Williams University at Rotch Field at 6 p.m. WestConn (2-0, 0-0 LEC) visits Montclair State University next Wednesday at 4 p.m.

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