CLEVELAND, Ohio - Redshirt senior Chase Baker matched a career-high with five goals as the Cleveland State Vikings poured in 10 unanswered tallies in a 16-4 thrashing of VMI in the team's home opener on Saturday afternoon.
The Vikings (2-4) erupted for a season-high 16 tallies as four different players recorded multiple goals. In addition to Baker, Tristan Hanna scored four times and had an assist while Jason Sullivan logged a pair of goals and three helpers and Nick Polydoras notched his first two-goal outing since his freshman campaign.
Sophomore Kevin Sobey made 11 saves on 15 shots for a .733 save percentage, picking up his second win of the season.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"Just an overall team effort today. I thought we did a really nice job on faceoffs, we were nearly perfect clearing the ball and had a few more ground balls. In all three phases of the game, I was really proud. Defensively, we were really locked in and guys did a nice job...Everyone contributed today and I think that's a big thing. It's certainly nice to be home and get a win."
-Head Coach Andy German
THE GAME
Hanna opened the scoring at 11:08 before Baker recorded his first marker of the game unassisted with 2:20 on the clock, giving the Vikings a 2-0 edge at the conclusion of the first quarter.
After VMI cut the deficit in half early in the second frame, Cleveland State poured in four straight goals to grab a 6-1 halftime lead. Baker scored his second less than 30 seconds after the visitors scored before Hanna, Polydoras and Brendan Sigurdson all found the back of the net. Sophomore Zachary Galovich earned his first career assist on Hanna's goal.
The Vikes outscored the Keydets 6-1 in the third quarter, including two goals each by Hanna and Sullivan. VMI added a goal in the final minute of the quarter to end the 10-0 run.
Polydoras and Stephen Masi scored in the fourth in addition to two more tallies from Baker for a 16-4 final. Noah Gleeson was credited with his third assist of the afternoon on Baker's first goal of the final quarter.
Cleveland State was nearly perfect on clearing attempts, going 23-24. The Vikings' man-up defense, which ranks second in the country, held VMI scoreless on its lone man-up opportunity.
Cleveland State outshot the Keydets by a 52-33 margin, including 14-5 in the second quarter, and had a 38-15 advantage in ground balls.
UP NEXT
The Vikings are back on the road for a 1:00 p.m. road match against Robert Morris next Saturday, April 10.
#GoVikes
