CASTLETON, Vt. - Sophomore midfielder Matt Sweeney (Rocky Point, N.Y.) notched a game-high eight points on five goals and three assists to lift the Western Connecticut State University men's lacrosse squad to a 19-6 victory at Little East Conference foe Castleton University on Saturday afternoon at Dave Wolk Stadium. 

Classmate Julian Duque (Mastic, N.Y.) and senior Benjamin Hawthorne (Manorville, N.Y.) chipped in with two goals and a trio of assists apiece from the attack position for the Wolves. Senior attacker Donald Schaumloffel (Wantagh, N.Y.) also put forth a solid effort with four scoring strikes. 

Six different players netted goals for the Spartans. Senior Dawson Nalette (Hartford, Vt.) and rookie Ian Edgar (Scotia, N.Y.) each finished with one goal and one assist to lead the way.

WestConn peppered Castleton with a season-high 73 shots. Despite surrendering all 19 goals, Spartan sophomore goalkeeper Christopher Dindino (Turnersville, N.J.) recorded 29 saves. Wolves senior Brendan Grove (Cheshire, Conn.) earned the win and tallied eight saves in three quarters of action. Senior Jason Friia (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) and first-year player Nicholas Elarde (Lake Grove, N.Y.) split time shielding the twine in the fourth. Elarde earned two saves and neither allowed a shot to cross the goal line.

The visitors began the contest with a four goal spurt as Duque and Sweeney each netted a pair. Duque's second marker gave him a team-leading 27 goals on the season. After a Castleton strike, Schaumloffel answered to give WestConn a 5-1 lead to end the first stanza. 

The Wolves put together another four goal run in the second. Sweeney began the barrage off a pass from senior Trey Aronow (Holbrook, N.Y.). Schaumloffel wrapped up the flurry off a fast break feed from classmate face off specialist Jonathan Russack-Baker (Groton, Conn.) - who won 19-of-28 draws on the day. The winners would hold a 10-4 lead at halftime.

WestConn continued to pour it on in the second half with six goals in the third and another three in the fourth. Sophomore midfielder James Deichler (Mystic, Conn.) rounded out the scoring with his first goal of the year, unassisted. 

With the victory, WestConn improved to 7-1 overall and 1-0 in league play, while Castleton fell to 1-6 and 0-1. The Wolves return to action for a non-conference battle against a team from the NESCAC when they host Connecticut College on Tuesday at 7 p.m.