SPARKS, Md. -- A slow start hampered the Grove City College men's lacrosse team Saturday afternoon as the Wolverines dropped a 21-11 decision to Coast Guard Academy at U.S.A. Lacrosse's Tierney Field.

Coast Guard jumped out a 6-0 lead early before the Wolverines closed the gap to 7-6 in the second quarter. Sophomore midfielder Griffen Agawa (San Ramon, Calif./California) and freshman attack Zachary Hougan (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) both scored in the final 1:39 of the first quarter to spark the comeback.

Freshman attack Matt Blythe (Mendon, N.Y./Honeoye Falls-Lima) scored twice in the second quarter while Hougan and senior midfielder Brett Gladstone (Marriottsville, Md./Marriotts Ridge) added goals in the first six minutes of the period.

Coast Guard led 12-7 at halftime and then led 14-8 after three quarters

Blythe and Gladstone both scored three times. Senior midfielders Grant Evans (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper Saint Clair) and Jed Speers (Medina, Ohio/Medina) also scored for the Wolverines.

Senior midfielder Michael La Forte (Waterford, Conn./Waterford) led Grove City (2-3) with four assists and Hougan tallied three assists. Gladstone, junior midfielder David Kraus (Sewickley, Pa./Quaker Valley) and sophomore Trenton Steele (Littleton, Colo./Highland Ranch) all assisted one goal. 

Evans won 16 of 32 faceoffs and also led Grove City with 11 ground balls. 

Sophomore Danny Stone (Chantilly, Va./Flint Hill) stopped 10 shots in goal. Coast Guard outshot the Wolverines, 50-34. Grove City had 17 turnovers and Coast Guard turned over possession 11 times. 

Grove City will open its home schedule Wednesday at 7 p.m. against John Carroll at Robert E. Thorn Field.