The University of Toronto Varsity Blues men’s lacrosse team went 1-1 this weekend as they defeated the Bishop’s Gaiters 6-3 on Saturday and fell 12-11 to the Queen’s Gaels on Sunday at University of Toronto’s back campus field.

On Saturday, midfielder Billy Laidler opened the scoring when he took a pass from teammate Jordan Blaser to put the Bishop’s Gaiters up by one. The Blues responded quickly as Will Dunlop (Windsor, Ont.), Beau Bassett (Nassau, BAH) and Scott Lemke (Orangeville, Ont.) all tallied for U of T to make it 3-1 at the end of the first quarter.

The Gaiters were unable to keep up with the Blues dominant offence, as Bassett scored his second of the game early in the second quarter. Midfielder James Forbes (Campbellville, Ont.) added another goal for U of T before attacker Erick Sorichetti garnered a second point for Bishop’s at the midway point of the game.

Dunlop would add another goal for the Blues in the third quarter and Gaiters midfielder Josh Crone scored the last goal of the game, as the Blues went on the record with a 6-3 victory in their home opener.
The defence also played an exemplary game, especially new Blues goalie Angus Dineley (Toronto, Ont.). Long poles Thio Yuen (Vancouver, B.C.), Kiel Nizich (Toronto, Ont.) and for Blues football player Mike Ayotte (Peterborough, Ont.) were tenacious defensively with a number of big hits.

It was all about offence in Sunday’s match versus the visiting Queen’s Gaels. It was a tightly contested match with the lead changing hands numerous times throughout the game.

Lemke and Dunlop led the Blues offence, with three and four goals, respectively. Daniel Fleming (Toronto, Ont.) tallied two goals, while Mikael Chullen (Toronto, Ont.) and Matthew Hoskins (Ochorios, JAM) scored one apiece for U of T.

The Blues were up 10-9 early in the fourth quarter before Queen’s scored three goals in less than 10 minutes. Toronto made a valiant attempt to rally back but ran out of time and lost 12-11 to an impressive Gaels squad.

The Varsity Blues men’s lacrosse team travels to Lennoxville, Quebec to face Bishop’s University on Saturday, September 20, at 7 p.m. and McGill University Sunday at 1 p.m.