COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Columbia College men's lacrosse team put on an offensive clinic Saturday afternoon, rolling past Saint Ambrose University 18-8 to improve to 5-3 on the season and 2-0 in Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) play.

It was a tale of two dominant forces up front. Senior Brock Pleis was virtually unstoppable, finishing with a season-high six goals and two assists for eight points. Pleis notched his 26th goal of the season on the final tally of the game, capping off one of his best performances of the year. Drake Morrissey was equally impressive, contributing four goals and a staggering five assists for nine points. The two fed off each other all afternoon, combining for 10 goals and seven assists. 

Columbia wasted no time asserting control, scoring all four of their first-quarter goals before Saint Ambrose could get on the board. Pleis opened the scoring at the 9:10 mark, and the Cougars never looked back. By halftime, Columbia had built a commanding 10-4 lead despite a brief rally from the Fighting Bees in the second quarter that cut the deficit to two.

It wasn't just Pleis and Morrissey doing the damage. Kai Garriock chipped in two goals, Will Rivenburgh added two goals, and Nico Andrews contributed two goals and an assist. William Rusk ran the offense smoothly from behind, racking up four assists to go along with Morrissey's five. The Cougars put up 45 shots on the afternoon and converted on 18 of 33 on goal. 

In net, Andrew Stapf played the full 60 minutes and made 15 saves, doing his part to keep the defense clean while his offense piled on.

Columbia won the ground ball battle 38-31 and won faceoffs 14-28, with Kail Mattis going 14-for-27 on the dot. 

The Cougars will look to carry this momentum into their big conference match-up next week against Benedictine College (Kan.). Columbia will face the Ravens at home on Saturday, March 28 at 3:00 p.m.