GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Entering their biggest week of the season, the Guilford men's lacrosse team looked to further their chances towards clinching an ODAC tournament bid, battling visiting Averett at Armfield Athletic Center on Wednesday night. Their chances soared, putting on an offensive clinic from start to finish in a clinical 23-6 win. 

GC snaps their four-game losing skid, as their record progresses to 7-9, 3-5 in the ODAC. Averett falls to 3-14, and 1-7 versus conference opponents. 

As a team, Guilford tied their season-best in points with 32, posted their highest goal tally of the spring with 23, most ground balls with 44, and highest shot total with 69. 

Darius Safavi-Abbassi (Culver City. Calif.) was more comfortable behind the net posts, only allowing three scores while saving four, improving his goalie record to 7-7. Cougar netminder Cameron Prutzman only saved eight while allowing 19 from the potent Guilford offense, as his record fell to 2-14. 

It was a quality rebound effort in the circle for Jax Atkins (Mechanicsville, Va.), winning all but four of his faceoff opportunities (24-28), and accounted for a season-high 13 ground balls in the win. Cam Walters (Greensboro, N.C.) led his squad with two caused turnovers. 

On the offensive side, many great performances were had by key contributors. Four Quakers found their way to hat-tricks or more, the most potent of which being Gabe Alvarez (Cary, N.C.), with six points on the night, including four goals. Seth Woods (Hilton Head Island, S.C.) and Andrew Burch (Cary, N.C.) also netted four, and Jacob Mills (Culpeper, Va.) got his first hat-trick in a Guilford uniform. 

An array of defensive miscues kicked off the night between both squads, but the Quakers began to find their groove, instantly making their way into the offensive zone and pressuring the Cougar defense. Their relentlessness paid off, as Alvarez opened up the contest scoring a little over four minutes into the first; his 23rd of the spring. Atkins got the next faceoff, and Guilford used it effectively, Brown setting up Alvarez for his second score in just over 30 seconds, and the 2-0 lead. It wouldn't be until under the eight-minute mark for AU to get themselves on the scoreboard, a goal from Wood cut their deficit in half. The Quakers would not look back from then on, getting back on the offense; Burch, Mills, and Alvarez's now hat-trick extended their lead to four as time wound down in the period. Burch got his second to beat the buzzer, with Brown dishing for his third assist of the game. Guilford now led 6-1 in this crucial conference contest.

The barrage continued, GC now had two hat-trickers with Burch attaining his third from fellow goal-scorer Alvarez, shortly into the second period. Brown's leading point tally got even better, getting in on the scoring action from a man-up advantage shortly after. Mills recorded his second goal of the game, and the Quakers were in true cruise control with the 9-1 scoreline. Averett was able to slightly chip away at their deficit, Wood with the double, bringing their tally to two. Highlighted by Alvarez's and Burch's fourth goals each, Guilford cruised into halftime with the 13-2 lead, their first time crossing the double-digit goal threshold in a first half since March 27 versus Randolph. 

The Quakers showed their might in spades, out-shooting the Cougars 39-9 and forcing 13 turnovers across the first half. 

The second half was just as dominant, in an overall must-needed offensive showing. Punctuated by Woods joining Burch and Alvarez with a hat-trick plus, and Mills' first collegiate hat-trick, Guilford cruised to a 23-6 win, and placed one foot in the door of their first potential ODAC tournament clinch since 2021.

Looking to finalize themselves amongst the conference's best in May, Guilford has a win-and-in scenario this upcoming Saturday, April 27 on Senior Day. Only Virginia Wesleyan stands in the Quakers' way, with the first faceoff set for 1:00 p.m.