TOWSON, Md. — The Catholic University men's lacrosse team got back to winning ways as it cruised to a conference victory over Goucher on Wednesday night, downing the Gophers, 14-9.

The Cardinals dominated the opening 15 minutes of the contest and never looked back. Peter Donley's team were clearly ready to play on the night, opening up a 5-0 just 10 minutes in as four different Catholic players scored in the first quarter.

After four-and-a-half minutes of scoreless play, Victor Rosado energized the Cardinal attack. He got the scoring started with an unassisted strike before Erik Aulbach followed his lead with a solo tally of his own. Rosado then scored again with the three goals coming less than 90 seconds apart.

Long pole Matt Ford then joined the party with the fourth unassisted strike of the stanza before Rosado turned helper, dishing to Steven Dezelic to push the lead to 5-0.

Rosado completed his hat trick just 84 seconds into the second quarter before Goucher got on the board with back-to-back goals. Dezelic then scored the next two goals of the contest to join Rosado with first-half hat tricks. 

Each team added one more before halftime to see the teams to the locker room at 9-3. The game tightened up in the third as Jack Dwyer and Brady McMahon sandwich a singular Gophers goal.

McMahon scored his second early in the fourth quarter to push the lead to 12-4, the largest gap of the night. Connor McDonough and Jack Suchanek got on the scoresheet in the final stanza, with the Suchanek goal marking the first tally of the freshman's collegiate career.

It was another monster night at the face-off X for Ryan Macksoud, who went 19-for-22 to push his season percentage above 60. Tyler Merchant made 13 saves in the cage for Catholic while the defensive pair of Mason Russo and Mike Tayloe each had two caused turnovers.

Aulbach added to his goal with a staggering game-high and career-high nine ground balls. Jack Gibbs scooped up three loose balls while Matt Shandley and Logan Farrington also contributed as they both work back from injuries. Shandley grabbed three ground balls while Farrington scooped up one.

The Cardinals will look to continue their momentum over the weekend when they face the Greyhounds of Moravian. Opening face-off in Bethlehem, Pa., is set for 1 p.m.