NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- The Grove City College men's lacrosse team outscored host Westminster 11-4 in the second half Saturday afternoon on the way to a 20-11 win over the Titans in both teams' season opener. 

Sophomore attack James Petrolle (Damascus, Md./Damascus) helped pace Grove City (1-0) by firing in five goals. Junior attack Michael La Forte (Waterford, Conn./Waterford) scored four times while junior midfielders Grant Evans (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper Saint Clair) and Brett Gladstone (Marriottsville, Md./Marriotts Ridge) each scored three times in the win.

Junior attack Blaise Bishop (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) and junior attack Jed Speers (Medina, Ohio/Medina) both added two goals. Sophomore long stick midfielder Kyle Coogan (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis Christian) also scored. 

Westminster (0-1) forged a 7-7 tie with eight minutes remaining in the first half but Grove City took the lead for good on La Forte's goal at the 6:44 mark. La Forte scored again with 44 seconds left in the half, giving Grove City a 9-7 halftime lead.

Bishop, Speers, Gladstone and Petrolle all scored in the third quarter, helping Grove City open up a 13-8 lead. The Wolverines then sealed the win with seven straight goals in the fourth quarter, including two each from Evans and Petrolle. 

Petrolle also assisted three goals. Gladstone and Speers each recorded two assists. Bishop, La Forte, freshman Jack Carpenter (Newton, Conn./St. Joseph) and sophomore Max Chmura (Wadsworth, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary) all had one assist.

Evans won 18 of 21 faceoffs and Chmura won 4 of 6 faceoff opportunities. Evans led Grove City with 19 ground balls. Sophomore goalkeeper Jack Petit (Pensacola, Fla./West Florida Tech) recorded eight ground balls and sophomore defender Bailey Decker (Howard, Pa./Bellefonte) picked up five ground balls.

Junior long stick midfielder Addison Bennett (Haddonfield, N.J./Haddonfield) and Gladstone both caused three turnovers. Bishop, Coogan and junior defender Cody Adams (Pullman, Wash./Pullman) caused two turnovers each.

Petit made his first collegiate start and earned the win by making 12 saves. Grove City held a 55-44 edge in shots. The Wolverines had 36 turnovers while Westminster turned over the ball 28 times. 

Grove City scored on 3 of its 11 extra-man opportunities while Westminster converted 5 of 8 in that category.

Grove City and Westminster are both members of the Presidents' Athletic Conference but Saturday's game does not count in the conference standings. The teams will meet May 1 in Grove City in the regular season finale. That game will count in the league standings. 

The Wolverines open the home schedule next Saturday at 1 p.m. against Saint Vincent in a non-conference game at Robert E. Thorn Field.