Laxmen Skewer Tritons, 27-2

"This will be a game to jack up the stats," a member of Harvard's lacrosse team said before last night's contest against Mass. Maritime under the lights at B.C. The end result proved far more one-sided than anyone had expected, as the Crimson jacked up the stats to the tune of a 27-2 romp over the hapless Tritons, behind Steve Martin's record-tying 11-point scoring barrage.

Prowling behind the opponents' cage much of the time, senior attackman Martin rammed home six first-half goals en route to a six-goal, five-assist performance to tie the record set by Grady Watts in 1960 and matched by John Hagerty in 1972.

"We got a lot out of this game," coach Bob Scalise said after the contest. "We had some close, tough contests on the trip, and it helps to know that when we come up against a New England opponent, we can just blow 'em out."

And indeed it was a blow-out. Attackman Mike Faught and middie Peter Predun (five goals, two assists each) joined Martin in leading an attack that showed much more confidence executing and going to the goal than it had against Hopkins, Post and Hofstra.

The defense proved as stingy as the offense was prolific. Junior netminder Kenny First (five saves) wrapped himself around the front of the cage like a chastity belt in the first half to spark a goaltending effort that shut out the Tritons until the last 1:47 of the game.

Mac DeCamp did a solid job subbing for injured freshman Frank Prezioso in the crease, while defenders Scott Pink and Mike Kennedy turned in sparkling performances checking the Maritime attack and clearing the ball.

The Crimson went out like racehorses, rattling Mass. Maritime goalie Russ Wilson with six goals in the first 8:50 of the game. Faught commenced the pop-gun barrage with a tally on an assist from Hank Leopold, and Martin quickly followed with a first-quarter hat trick before Triton coach Bob Schillinglaw, in a futile attempt to regroup, called time-out at the nine-minute mark.

By the time the smoke cleared from the first-half fireworks, the damage had been done. The three leading scorers already had hat tricks, Chris "Beast" Doherty registered his first entry in the '78 scorebook with two unassisted scores, and Harvard led by the outrageous margin of 15-0.

Scalise subbed liberally in the second half, and goalies Ken Freedberg and John Lechner combined for nine saves in their varsity debuts.

Play degenerated for the first time in the fourth quarter, as penalties interrupted the action and the Crimson found the twines just three times. The Tritons saved themselves from the disgrace of a goose egg by scoring with 1:47 and :06 left against Harvard's fourth goalie.

But that fact was hardly disappointing in a contest that saw Harvard work its patterns well against a disorganized opposing unit--the ball movement looked smooth and sharp throughout this 27-2 laugher.

LAX LOOSELEAF: Last night's game proved very helpful in preparing the laxmen for Saturday night's game against perennially-tough Penn on the Franklin Field astroturf. The Crimson stands 2-2 entering that contest.

Haywood Miller and Jim Ossyra joined Prezioso on the injured list before the game, and attackman Billy Forbush had to leave early in the contest due to an injured shoulder.

The Fred C. Alexander Memorial was retired in Harvard's possession after last night's game, the last with Mass. Maritime.