AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo.—The Bellarmine University lacrosse team suffered a 20-2 loss to the Air Force Academy in a Southern Conference game played indoors at the Holaday Athletic Center on Saturday night.
 
The defending SoCon champions and preseason favorites scored on their first possession of the night and about midway through the first quarter went on a quick 2-0 spurt, and the Knights never mounted a serious threat. 
 
Air Force held onto the 3-0 lead at the end of the first period, and after Bellarmine finally broke through for its first score on a goal by Brian Wall at the 7:21 mark of the second quarter,  the Falcons answered with a 4-0 scoring run to take a 7-1 lead into halftime.
 
Bellarmine then saw the Air Force scoring run grow to 10-0 as the Falcons shut out the Knights in the third period and scored the first goal of the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 13-1. 
 
Andrew Schoeneck finally ended the Bellarmine scoring drought with 12:48 remaining in the game, but Air Force closed with seven unanswered goals to make the final margin 18—the most lopsided loss ever by a Bellarmine lacrosse team.
 
Chris Walsch had a huge game for the Falcons, racking up five goals and handing out three assists. Teammate Nick Hruby also had a hat trick and dished out two assists to finish with five points.
 
The Falcons smothered the Knights in virtually all facets of the game.  Air Force outshot Bellarmine 56-14, including a 30-6 edge in shots on goal. The Knights also struggled at "X," where Air Force won 19 of 26 face offs that helped fuel a 27-15 advantage in ground balls.
 
Bellarmine slips to 2-7 on the season with a 1-2 mark in league play. The Falcons improve to 7-4, 3-0 in the SoCon.
 
The Knights return to Owsley B. Frazier Stadium to host High Point on Saturday, April 8 at 1 p.m.
 
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