The Hamilton College men's lacrosse team posted its highest-scoring game in seven seasons, rolling to an 18-5 win over visiting Utica College Wednesday in a game played at Hamilton's Campus Road Athletic Complex. With the win, the Continentals (2-0 overall) maintained possession of the Contineer Cup traveling trophy, which they've claimed all six years of its existence.

The hosts won their 14th straight against the Pioneers (0-2), posting their biggest margin of victory in the series. Hamilton's 18 goals were the team's highest output since a 21-2 win over visiting Wells College on April 27, 2010.

Six Continentals scored the first goal of their collegiate career and Noah Weissmann '18 made 19 saves in his first career start.

J.D. Brachman '17 led Hamilton with a personal-high seven points on career-best totals of four goals and three assists. Sam Sweet '16 added five points; Brachman and Sweet had a hand in nine of the Continentals' 12 first-half goals.

Brachman bested his previous career high of three points before the game was 13 minutes old, scoring two goals and assisting on scores by Jack Gaul '18 and Matt Hermann '17. Hermann's goal was the first of his career.     

Sweet opened the second quarter with a pair of goals, then completed the hat trick after Utica's Liam Wheatley pulled the visitors to within 7-2 on his first goal of the season. Three quick goals in an 86-second span (Sweet scored the first and Brachman followed with two more) put Hamilton at double digits. The Continentals pushed their lead to 10 with a pair of goals in the final 18 seconds of the half; Brendan Burke '18 and Jarett Greben '19 both picked up their first goal of their collegiate career.

Sweet's seven goals and five assists through two games this spring leave him one shy of reaching the 100-point career total.

In the second half Christian Hansson '19, Noah Kramer '18 and Adam Markhoff '18 each scored their first career goal. Markhoff closed the game's scoring, with Jordan Fong '18 picking up the assist for his initial point.

Dominic Castiglia scored two of Utica's five goals. Matthew Miller and Xavier Perron collected second-half goals.

The Continentals, who are one of 12 teams in the 'others receiving votes' category in this week's national coaches' poll, outshot the Pioneers 52-38.

Weissmann made 19 saves, holding the Pioneers to just one goal in three of the four quarters. He also picked up a pair of ground balls. Greben, who finished with two goals and an assist, led Hamilton with five ground balls. Eric Zurmuehle '18 picked up four and won eight of 12 faceoffs. Clay McCollum '19 and Gaul both finished with three points.

Rusty Dessert finished with team-high totals of four ground balls and three caused turnovers for Utica. Mitch Sobilo also picked up four ground balls.

Andrew DiOrio made 10 saves in the Pioneer net over the first three quarters. Parker Smith stopped three of the five shots he faced in the final quarter.

Hamilton now leads the all-time series 15-1; the three previous meetings in Clinton had been decided by one goal each.

The Continentals return to NESCAC action Saturday, hosting Wesleyan at Steuben Field at 1 p.m.