ROCKVILLE, CENTRE, N.Y. -- The No. 13 Pace University men's lacrosse team took care of business on the road to open the season, posting an 19-13 win over Molloy University on Wednesday.

Pace will take to Northwell Stadium for the first time this season for its next game, welcoming Wilmington University (Del.) to Pleasantville on Saturday for a 3:30 start.

The first goal of the 2024 season belongs to Rafael Rodriguez, Jr. who found the back of the net off a feed from Colin Reese. 

After a pair of Molloy goals swung the lead over to the home team, Declean Landers scored a pair of goals, including one by beating the keeper from point-blank range off a beautiful pass from Ryan Kemp to regain the lead, and from there the flood gates opened. Landers returned the favor and found Kemp right after and Daniel Zabbia added one more to make the score 5-2 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Setter shots kept finding the back of the net, with Pace outscoring Molloy 6-2 thanks to goals from Rodriguez, and Kemp. Thanks to their contributions, the Blue and Gold took an 11-4 lead into the halftime break.

Pace kept their feet on the gas in the third, Pace scoring seven more goals in the quarter to put the game away.

Kemp had an impressive Setter debut, netting six goals while also assisting on two of his teammates. He also secured two ground balls while causing one turnover. Landers and Zabbia each netted a trio of goals while Landers dished out four assists.

Jack Kern earned the win between the pipes, making nine saves in 54 minutes and change. 

Maxwell Streety was dominate in the face-off X for the Setters, going 18-26 while corralling 14 ground balls