By Nathan Max
WSL Executive Editor

SAN DIEGO -- It took the Brigham Young men’s lacrosse team exactly one quarter to shake off its two-day, 750-mile bus ride to Southern California. And when the Cougars got going, they were tough to stop.

Sophomore attackman Ted Ferrin registered a game-high five points on three goals and two assists to lead No. 3 Brigham Young to a decisive, 13-5 victory over No. 21 San Diego State in an MCLA Division I game Thursday night.

Sophomore attackman Kent Mann added four points on three goals and one assist, senior middie Elliot Grow finished with three points on two goals and one assist and sophomore middie Jacob Houghton scored twice to help the Cougars (1-0) win their season opener in first-year head coach Matt Schneck’s debut.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS OF ALL THE GOALS

Playing in the first of a three-game, five-day Southern California road trip, Brigham Young outshot San Diego State, 44-28, and played most of the first three quarters on the Aztecs half of the field. Junior middie Brian Mathay, sophomore attackman Corey Gunderson and freshman attackman Michael Watterson all had goals to round out the scoring, and Brigham Young played its entire 38-man roster.

“It took a little while to get warmed up,” Schneck said. “First quarter was slow, but once we realized we were playing a game, we did a good job and got going.”

Brigham Young spent Wednesday night in Nevada and arrived early in the afternoon on Thursday. The length of the trip showed during the first 15 minutes.

The Cougars conceded the first goal 54 seconds into the game, they trailed for more than nine minutes, they fired numerous shots in every which direction and they were sloppy possessing the ball. But after Mathay scored to give Brigham Young the lead with 31 seconds remaining the first quarter, it was all Cougars.

“First quarter, we came out a little slow,” Ferrin said. “We were getting the jitters out after a long bus ride. Once we had the jitters out, we were playing our game, our tempo, we were working the ball and finishing strong.”

Brigham Young used a nine-goal run over three quarters to take control. Houghton’s goal that tied it, 1-1, started the run with 5:04 to play in the first quarter. By the time Houghton scored his second of the game, with 9:59 remaining in the third quarter, it was 9-1.

Defensively, Brigham Young prevented San Diego State from scoring for 37:12 before the Aztecs broke the run. The Cougars played three goalies, and senior Will Hilton, sophomore Matt Erickson and sophomore Rob Ostler combined to stop 14 shots.

The Cougars led by as many as 10 goals, at 12-2 at the end of the third quarter.

“I feel good about the game, overall, but we came out really sloppy,” Mann said. “There’s a lot of things we can improve on. I think one thing we struggled with tonight is ground balls, but that’s an easy fix. Overall, our offense played great and so did the defense.”

In a losing effort, senior middie Erik Stevenson scored a team-high three goals, senior attackman Kevin Olson had a goal and an assist and freshman middie Alex Ochs scored once for San Diego State (1-1).

In the cage, senior goalie Billy Double saved 12 shots.

“I’ve got to give them credit,” Double said. “They’re a great team. They’ve got depth for days.”

Brigham Young will now head north to Orange County to face No. 2 Chapman in the showdown of the trip Saturday night at 7 p.m., PST, in a game that will be televised live on Fox College Sports. On Monday, the Cougars will wrap up their trip at No. 16 UC Santa Barbara.

By Saturday, the Cougars should have all the jitters out, and they will not have spent two straight days on a bus. And, according to Mann, there won’t be the same room for error.

“If we come out like (the first quarter tonight),” he said, “Chapman’s going to jump all over us.”