AUBURN – During the last week of practice, Wells High School lacrosse coach Vinny LoBello got on attack Dan Wolterbeck’s case about crashing the net.

“I told him he was playing with the ball too much outside the box,” LoBello said. “I just told him to use his size and get to the net more often.”

That message apparently sank in.

Wolterbeck scored four goals and Nate Oakes had three and an assist to lead Wells to its first victory as a varsity program on Thursday, 9-4 over St. Dom’s.

“This was a big win for the team,” LoBello said. “The kids have been working very hard all year and for the past two years as a club sport. They deserved this one.”

And while the Warriors (1-2) solved the Saints’ defense, it was their own defense that set the tone for the game.

“We played them up on the stick side,” LoBello said. “That limited their shots in close, and then in the second half our offense picked it up.”

Still, Wells goalie Jimmy Lawrence made several key saves down the stretch, which frustrated the Saints attacks. In all, Lawrence stopped 19 shots. On the other end, St. Dom’s keeper Brendan Dyer stopped 15 chances.

Wells jumped on the board early in a low-scoring first half, taking a 4-1 lead into the break after two goals by Wolterbeck and one each from Oakes and Drew Erensel. Matt Manson had the lone St. Dom’s goal of the first half on a nice crossing feed from Ben Shaw while a man down.

In the second half, St. Dom’s (1-3) started to make a run. After Oakes scored early to put the Warriors up 5-1, Tyler Martin and Roland Hamann scored around another Wolterbeck tally to pull the Saints within three.

Andrew Gilbert fired a shot past Lawrence just 36 seconds into the final quarter to pull St. Dom’s within two of the Warriors, but for the last time. Wolterbeck, Oakes and Josh Merrill each scored for Wells over the final quarter to ice the victory.

“Drew (Erensel) and Nate (Oakes) have the most experience out there of anyone, and it showed for us,” LoBello said.

jpelletier@sunjournal.com

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