Exeter boys lacrosse earned a hard-fought 9-8 victory over Portsmouth Abbey, using a balanced offensive attack and a gritty defensive effort to secure the win.

The game was tightly contested throughout, with the score knotted at 4-4 midway through the second quarter. Big Red seized control and built some separation with a key stretch before halftime, as Finlay Fitch, John Griffin, and Church Salathe scored in succession to build a 7-4 advantage.

Salathe led the offense with four goals, while Griffin and Fitch each added a pair. Tyler Callander chipped in a goal to round out the scoring. At the faceoff X, Henry Baldic was excellent, consistently giving Exeter extra possessions and helping maintain momentum during critical stretches.

Portsmouth ABbey refused to go away, battling back to pull within one in the second half. But Exeter's defense stood tall when it mattered most. Miles Thaxter anchored the unit with a standout performance, including a caused turnover in the game's final possession, earning Player of the Game honors. Jack Marquardt was equally impressive between the pipes, turning aside 14 shots on the day.

Big Red returns to action on Monday afternoon when they travel to Belmont Hill for a 4:30 p.m. start.