FREDERICK, MD – Host Hood College raced out to a 9-0 lead mid way through the third quarter and held on despite a late Wilkes University comeback attempt as the Blazers posted a 12-8 non-conference victory Saturday afternoon at Thomas Athletic Field.
 
Wilkes fell to 2-5 overall on the season while Hood improved to 6-2 on the year.
 
Hood took a 1-0 lead after the first quarter before scoring five unanswered goals in the second frame on way to a 6-0 advantage at the break.
 
The Blazers lead grew to 9-0 with three straight goals to start the third period before Wilkes used a 5-0 run to end the stanza. Colby Opromolla (Patterson, NY/Carmel) started the five-goal run with an unassisted tally at 7:58 before Austin Sosnovik (New Tripoli, PA/Northwestern Lehigh) scored off an assist from Tim Hartka (Phoenix, MD/Calvert Hall) at 5:18. Jackson Casper (Bel Air, MD/Bel Air) was the third different Colonels to reach the scoring column in the frame thanks to another helper from Hartka at 4:05 before the Hartka-to-Sosnovik combination struck again at 1:25 to make it 9-4 Hood. Dillon Kadis (McSherrystown, PA/Delone Catholic) finished off the third period scoring with an unassisted goal with :43 seconds on the clock making it 9-5.
 
Hood scored its final two goals of the game early in the fourth quarter to push the advantage back to seven at 12-5 with 10:59 remaining. From there it was all Colonels as Hartka, Tucker Parmer (Ephrata, PA/Ephrata) and Austin Seames (Newton, NJ/Kittatinny Regional) each scored to finish off the Wilkes goals in the contest.
 
Hood outshot Wilkes 59-27 while causing the Colonels into 29 turnovers. Wilkes finished 22-of-30 in clearing attempts while Hood went 23-of-28. The Blazers also held a slight advantage in faceoffs at 14-10 while claiming 41 groundballs to Wilkes' 18.
 
Hartka was the Colonels top producer on offense finishing with four points on one goal and three assists. Opromolla (1G/1A) and Sosnovik (2 goals) followed with two points each.
 
Joseph Marino (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) finished with 17 saves in net for Wilkes playing all 60 minutes.
 
Wilkes returns home to host cross-town rival King's College on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. at Schmidt Stadium.