BETHANY, W.Va. – The Thiel College men's lacrosse team scored six first-period goals Tuesday en route to a 14-7 Ohio River Lacrosse Conference (ORLC) victory over the Bethany Bison at Bison Stadium. With the win the Tomcats clinched a berth in the ORLC Championship Tournament in May.
 
After the Bison took a 2-1 lead the Tomcats went on to score five consecutive goals over the final six minutes and 25 seconds of the first quarter. Brennen O'Shea (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seneca Valley) scored two goals over the stretch while Edward Kargbo (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams), Kyle Reib (Erie, Pa./McDowell) and Aaron Parry (Erie, Pa./McDowell) chipped in with one goal apiece.
 
The Bison trailed by just three goals (8-5) at halftime, but the Tomcats outscored their conference opponent 6-2 in the second half.
 
Parry led the Tomcats with seven points (3G, 4A) while Kargbo, who was named the conference's offensive player of the week Monday, scored three goals. O'Shea tallied four points on two goals and two helpers, and Reib contributed two goals and an assist.
 
Also for the Tomcats, Jared Saffer (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) scored two goals, won 10 draws and tallied five ground balls. With his five ground balls, Saffer set a new single-season team record, breaking Francis Ahia's record (82) from 2012.
 
Jacob Schiffer (3G, 1A) and Jake Holland (2G, 2A) paced the Bison with four points apiece.
 
Charles Wistner (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) made seven saves to improve to 10-2 on the season. Sean Rhodes made 17 saves for the Bison.
 
Tuesday's win was the Tomcats' 10^th of the 2016 campaign, marking the second straight season that the Tomcats have posted double-digit wins.
 
The Tomcats (10-2, 5-1 ORLC) will square off against the Hanover Panthers (6-6, 4-0 ORLC) on the road Saturday. The ORLC game is set to begin at 1 p.m.
 
The ORLC Championship Tournament will be played May 4 & 7. The conference semifinals will be played May 4 (No. 4 at No. 1; No. 3 at No. 2). The league championship game will be played May 7 with the lower remaining seed playing at the higher remaining seed.