Zionsville boys lacrosse has made early-game dominance their calling card this season, and on Wednesday night, that strategy paid off in a big way. The Eagles exploded out of the gate, scoring seven goals in the first quarter to set the tone for a commanding 17-5 victory over Crown Point. The win brings their season record to 9-10 and marks their sixth victory in the last eight games.
"We did a great job tonight," said head coach James Rundle. "It's something we focused on this week especially—to make sure if we got a lead that we continued to hold that lead."
That focus came after a tough lesson against Hamilton Southeastern, where a three-goal lead slipped away in their last outing. Against Crown Point, the Eagles made sure history didn't repeat itself. After jumping out to a 7-2 lead by the end of the first quarter, Zionsville never let the Bulldogs get closer than four goals. Their defense tightened in the second half, holding Crown Point to just one goal over the final two periods.
The scoring started early, with Conor Murray finding the net just over a minute into the game. Zach Strueh and Murray followed with goals just 52 seconds apart, pushing the lead to 3-0. Crown Point briefly rallied with two goals in 19 seconds to cut it to 3-2, but Zionsville responded with four unanswered goals in the final four minutes of the quarter—including two from Murray and one each from Troy Clemmer and Hutson Meenan—to take control.
Ashton Foxworthy extended the lead to 8-2 early in the second quarter. Though Crown Point again answered with two quick strikes, Meenan's second goal of the game sent the Eagles into halftime with a 9-4 advantage. The second half was all Zionsville, with Foxworthy, Meenan, Murray, and Strueh each adding two more goals to put the game out of reach.
Murray and Foxworthy each finished with two assists, while Knox Walton, Meenan, Clemmer, Strueh, and Blake Bohrer also contributed helpers. The balanced attack reflects a team that's hitting its stride at the perfect time.
"We had really good intensity to start," Rundle added. "We are coming into games more mentally prepared than we have in the past, and that's been a huge factor for us."
The Eagles now turn their attention to the state tournament, opening against North Central on Saturday morning. Riding a hot streak that has seen them win six of their last eight, Zionsville is peaking at the right moment. "I am loving where we are at," Rundle said. "We are playing our best lacrosse of the year right now, which is the goal. We just have to roll with it."