Sophomore middie Sam Russell registered a team-high five points on four goals and one assist to lead Whittier to a 13-9 victory over Notre Dame de Namur in a game Saturday afternoon between the Golden State’s two flagship NCAA programs.

Sophomore attackman Daniel McQuade added four points on two goals and two assists, and Christian Wright, Colt Adams and Mike Neumayr all scored twice to help the Division III Poets (8-5) snap a two-game losing streak and ensure their first winning season since 2006.

Rob Larimer scored once to round out the offense for Whittier.

In the cage, Robert Bazlen saved eight shots.

In defeat, Drew Comeau finished with a game-high six points on three goals and three assists for Division II NDNU, which fell to 6-4. Kevin Nguyen added three points on a goal and two assists, and Greg Bearson had a goal and an assist for the Argos.

Whittier outshot NDNU, 38-23, but the Poets had to overcome a 17-7 disadvantage on face-offs, as Argos senior middie Conrad Clevlen was the man once again at X. Clevlen took every face-off and picked up 14 ground balls for the Argos, however, it wasn’t enough.

Whittier led 3-2 at the end of the first quarter, 5-4 at halftime and 10-5 at the end of the third. The Poets eventually led by as many as seven at 12-5 and 13-6 before NDNU scored the game’s final three goals.