Thursday, March 08, 2007

#5 Rams Ready for Road Trip to Utah, Television Appearance

Colorado State University Men’s Lacrosse
Contact: Alex Smith – (970) 377-1390

Thursday, March 08, 2007

#5 Rams Ready for Road Trip to Utah, Television Appearance

The #5 ranked Colorado State University men’s lacrosse team takes its 3-1 record on the road this weekend with a trip west to Utah for four games in five days, three of which will come against top 15 opponents. The road trip will be highlighted by a game against #1 Brigham Young University that will be nationally televised by BYUtv.

First on the docket is an RMLC league game against Utah State that has been moved from Logan, UT all the way down to the campus of BYU in Provo, UT 100 miles away because of a late facilities change. Utah State has struggled in Division A for several years and will be the only non-ranked opponent CSU will face all weekend. Face-off is scheduled for 8:00 pm on Friday night.

The very next day, Colorado State and Brigham Young renew their storied MCLA rivalry with a 2:00 pm clash that will be shown live on BYUtv. The Rams and Cougars split last season’s match-ups, with BYU winning the regular season game and CSU getting revenge in the national semifinals. This might be one of the best rivalries in all of lacrosse and BYU’s exclusive television deal makes it available to everyone around the country. BYU is 5-2 so far this year with losses coming to Division II Notre Dame de Namur and #3 Oregon. The 2:00 pm game will be telecast live on BYUtv, which shows on Comcast-Denver channel 232 for digital subscribers, Dish Network (Channel 9403), DIRECTV (Channel 374) and the internet at http://byu.tv. Live online game statistics will be available at http://www.byulacrossewebcasting.com/livestats/xlive.htm.

After a day off in the Beehive State, CSU faces another tough challenge against RMLC league foe Utah. The #12 Utes have had an up and down start to their 2007 season, losing two tough games in Arizona before bouncing back with a key victory over perennial powerhouse #10 UC-Santa Barbara. Utah was the only MCLA team to defeat CSU in their 2003 national championship season and the Rams would do well to remember that in order to get past this upset-minded team on Monday.

Tuesday afternoon means another trip back to Provo to take on the UMLL’s Minnesota-Duluth. The #8 Bulldogs are enjoying their highest ranking ever thanks to a strong opening weekend that featured convincing victories over #11 Cal Poly and #14 Lindenwood. UMD has shown a stout defense so far and will be an extremely tough test for the Rams on the last leg of their journey.

Since CSU’s opening day loss to Oregon, the Rams have won three games in a row, including conquests over #7 Sonoma State and Division III Colorado College. Colorado State’s depth will be severely tested this weekend with the four games, especially considering that none of CSU’s opponents will have played a game that weekend before they face the Rams.

CSU is led in points by senior attackman Danny Stevens (Suffern HS; Suffern, NY), who has 18 points on 7 goals and 11 assists this season. Seniors Brian Stone (Air Academy HS; Colorado Springs, CO) and Pat Bird (Bishop O’Dowd HS; Oakland, CA) have also pitched in with 10 points thus far. The Rams will be without the services of injured junior attackman Campbell Diebolt (Central Bucks East; Doylestown, PA), who broke his collarbone against LMU on Sunday.

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Colorado State men’s lacrosse competes nationally in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) and regionally in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference (RMLC). The MCLA consists of nearly 200 teams across the country in nine conferences. While the team is over 40 years old, CSU lacrosse has made its biggest strides in the past 10 years. CSU has won a record four MCLA national titles in 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2006. They also hold RMLC conference titles in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006. CSU lacrosse is supported by Sport Clubs at the University, but receives less than 5% of their operating budget from the school each year. The rest of the money is self-funded and comes through dues and fundraising. One of the most important fundraisers is the CSU Men’s Lacrosse Ram Camp, held every summer. More information can be found at www.csulacrosse.com.

Air Force To Face Yale At First 4 (3.7.07)

The Air Force lacrosse team is back in action this weekend, March 10, when they head to San Diego, Calif., for the third-annual First 4. The Falcons will take on No. 18 Yale in a game slated to begin at 4:00 p.m. (PT). The contest will be televised live by CSTV.


Scouting the Falcons...
Air Force fell to 1-2 on the season with a pair of losses at last weekend’s Pioneer Face-Off Classic, dropping to No. 20 UMBC, 13-7, and Villanova, 8-7.

The Falcons are led by senior captain Will Meister, who has 12 points on the season (5g, 7a), while sophomore Griffin Nevitt (6g, 5a) and Conrad Lochocki (6g, 4a) have recorded 11 and 10 points, respectively.


Scouting the Bulldogs...
Yale, ranked 18th in the latest USILA Coaches Poll, enters this weekend with a 2-0 record. The Bulldogs are coming off a 7-6 win over then-18th-ranked Massachusetts.

Chris Kempner is the team’s leading scorer with five goals and four assists, while Tyler Casertano (four goals, three assists) and Kyle Washabaugh (four goals, one assist) rank second and third, respectively.

Yale is coached by Andy Shay (LeMoyne, ‘94), who has compiled a career ledger of 21-21 mark in his fourth year at the helm of the Bulldogs’ program.


In the Series...
Air Force and Yale have met just once in the series, back in 1983, when the Bulldogs secured a 13-10 victory over the Falcons.


All-Tournament Accolades...
A pair of Falcons received all-tournament honors at the Pioneer Face-Off Classic. Sophomore Griffin Nevitt, an all-tourney pick as a freshman, was named an all-tournament midfielder, while fellow sophomore Dan Gnazzo was chosen to the all-tournament team at the long-stick midfield position.


The Assist Leader...
Senior Will Meister currently sits in eighth place on the Falcons’ career assist list, with 71 assists. Meister sits just one assist out of seventh place, and could move into the top five by season’s end.


Up Next...
The Falcons are back on the road next week, March 17, when they head to Lewisburg, Pa., to take on Bucknell in a 12:00 p.m. (ET) contest.

Murray Garners Multiple Player of the Week Honors

Murray Garners Multiple Player of the Week Honors
Sophomore Joey Murray tallies 12 points in two games

DENVER – University of Denver men’s lacrosse player Joey Murray totaled 12 points last weekend as DU went 2-0, earning him Nike/Inside Lacrosse and Great Western Lacrosse League’s Player of the Week honors.

Murray, a sophomore from Denver, leads DU with 16 points on the season. He tallied six goals and two assists against Villanova on Saturday and one goal and three assists against No. 19 UMBC on Sunday. Murray was named MVP of the Pioneer Face-Off Classic as well.

“I’m very happy for Joey,” head coach Jamie Munro said. “We have watched him play at a very high level throughout the fall and preseason and we’ve been expecting him to step up and he has.”

Murray is the first Pioneer to be named the Nike/Inside Lacrosse Player of the Week in the three-year history of the award.

The No. 19 Pioneers return to action Saturday, March 10 at 1:30 against No. 20 Stony Brook at the Barton Lacrosse Stadium.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Denver Outlaws Announce Coaching Change

Denver Outlaws Announce Coaching Change
The Denver Outlaws name Jim Beardmore the new head coach for the 2007 season.

DENVER – March 7, 2007 –The Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse have announced that Jim Beardmore will take over as head coach for the 2007 season. Beardmore will be the Outlaws second coach in as many seasons, taking the reigns after the departure of Jarred Testa.

In Colorado’s first year of Major League Lacrosse, Testa led Denver to a league-tying best 10-2 regular season record and the Western Conference title. The Outlaws boasted the league’s third-ranked defense and top-ranked offense, scoring 197 goals during the 2006 season and outscoring opponents by an average of 6 goals per game.

“Jarred did a great job for us last season and we are extremely appreciative of his efforts,” says Outlaws General Manager Brian Reese. “Unfortunately, due to personal commitments, Jarred will not be able to return as head coach. I want to thank Jarred for all he did, as he was instrumental in putting the inaugural team together. Last year’s success was in large part due to his hard work.”

Beardmore comes to the Outlaws after three seasons coaching perennial powerhouse Severna Park High School in Maryland, where he compiled an overall record of 50-8 and led the team to state titles in 2004 and 2006 and runner-up honors in 2005. These accomplishments earned Beardmore Anne Arundel County Coach of the Year honors in 2004 and 2005 as well as Baltimore Sun and Washington Post All Metro Coach of the Year awards in 2006. He served as a defensive and goalie coach for his alma mater, the Severn School, for the 2001 and 2002 seasons and was the head coach at Chesapeake High School from 1999-2001.

“I am extremely pleased to announce the hiring of Jim Beardmore as the next head coach of the Denver Outlaws,” Reese says. “Much like Jarred, Jim has a genuine passion for coaching and is a great motivator and teacher. I know Jim will have the immediate respect of the players and will have tremendous success as the head coach of the Denver Outlaws.”

“I can’t wait to come out there and guide the Outlaws back to the championship game,” Beardmore says. “This is the highest level of lacrosse and professional sports are all about winning. I am as excited as any one person can be about the opportunity.”

Beardmore also boasts an impressive list of accomplishments as a player, anchoring the University of Maryland defense between the pipes. As a senior at Maryland in 1987, Beardmore was a 1st team All-American, NCAA Goalie of the Year, ACC Player of the Year and 1st team All ACC. He then took his talents to the MILL (Major Indoor Lacrosse League) where he played for five seasons.

Beardmore is currently a director of Nike Lacrosse Summer Camps and All-American Sports Camps, a position he has held since 1998. Since 2006, he has also served as Director of Anne Arundel Sports Club, planning and organizing summer lacrosse leagues.

“Jim brings a wealth of experience and energy to the team,” Reese says. “I am extremely confident that Jim will help our organization with our missions of wining championships, serving the community and helping grow the sport of lacrosse in Colorado.”

“I am going to dive head first into the Colorado lacrosse community,” Beardmore says. “Lacrosse is growing at such a fast rate that they need coaches so the sport can keep up with itself. I’m looking to run clinics for boys and girls, as well as coaches when I get out there.”

The new head coach will be present at Outlaws open tryouts on April 1st from 11 am – 2 pm at the University of Denver’s Peter Barton Stadium.

-- DenverOutlaws.com --

Sunday, March 04, 2007

#5 Colorado State Takes Care of #22 Loyola Marymount

#5 Colorado State Takes Care of #22 Loyola Marymount

Fort Collins, CO – The #5 Colorado State Rams took a 9-3 lead into the halftime break and held off a lively #22 Loyola Marymount squad in the second half to get their third straight win on Sunday afternoon. CSU’s first home game of the season was played under a beautiful sunny sky and warm temperatures as the Rams ran their record to 3-1 on the season with their 14-9 win.

One day after a big victory against Division III rival Colorado College, CSU started the game hot offensively, scoring two goals in the first 1:06. In fact, the Rams had already scored five goals before the game was even five minutes old. By the time the high-scoring first quarter was over, the teams had combined for 10 goals and Colorado State held a 6-4 lead.

The Rams turned up the pressure in the second quarter, pumping home three goals and allowing none on the other end of the field. Junior midfielder John Tomlinson (Smoky Hill HS; Aurora, CO) had a goal and an assist in the second quarter to help push CSU push their lead. Colorado State peppered LMU goalie Luga Podesta, but he held strong, making nine saves in the second quarter to keep the game close. Podesta finished with 22 saves and played extremely well in a losing effort.

After senior midfielder Pat Bird (Bishop O’Dowd HS; Oakland, CA) scored just :24 into the third quarter, the CSU offense hit the doldrums. Podesta and the LMU defense kept CSU off the scoreboard for the next 23 minutes as they tightened the gap to 10-7. But Bird and senior attackman Danny Stevens (Suffern HS; Suffern, NY) combined for two quick goals and sophomore Will Cantwell (Lakewood HS; Lakewood, CO) added another in the span of a minute and a half to put away the game. The Rams outscored the Lions 4-3 in the fourth quarter for the 14-9 win.

CSU was led once again by Stevens, who’s two goals and three assists led all scorers. Fellow attackmen Campbell Diebolt (Central Bucks East; Doylestown, PA) and Brian Stone (Air Academy HS; Colorado Springs, CO) added three points a piece and Bird pitched in with two goals as well. LMU’s top scorer was attackman Brian Minkler, who finished with four goals.

Sophomore Lance Simmons (Thunder Ridge HS; Highlands Ranch, CO) got his second win of the season in goal for the Rams, recording 8 saves while giving up 9 goals in 60 minutes of play.

Colorado State (3-1) faces their most difficult stretch of the season next week when they bus to Utah to play four games in five days against Utah State, BYU, Utah and Minnesota-Duluth. The first three games of the trip will be RMLC league contests and will go a long way in determining conference seedings for the upcoming league tournament. LMU plays Colorado on Wednesday before heading back out to California.

Air Force Drops 9-8 Heartbreaker to Villanova

Air Force Drops 9-8 Heartbreaker to Villanova

Denver, Colo. - Wrapping up its weekend at the Pioneer Face-Off Classic, hosted by Denver, the Air Force lacrosse team dropped a close 9-8 contest to Villanova Sunday afternoon at Barton Lacrosse Stadium. With the loss, the Falcons fall to 1-2 on the year, while Villanova improves to 2-2 on the season.

Air Force was first to get on the board against Villanova with an unassisted goal by sophomore Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.) at the 11:28 mark in the opening period. Another score by the Falcons just over 30 seconds later gave Air Force the 2-0 lead. However, the Wildcats scored two unanswered goals to end the period, tying the game at 2-2.

The Falcons regained the lead early in the second quarter with an assist from Nevitt to Justin Kuchta (Sr., Ridgefield, Conn.), while senior Will Meister (Denver, Colo.) scored another goal to give Air Force the 4-2 lead. Again, Villanova closed out the period with two unanswered goals, including a tally with just 28 seconds remaining, to bring the score to 4-4 at the half.

Villanova grabbed its first lead of the game with a score at the 6:42 mark in the third period, but the Falcons came back to tie it up four minutes later, as Meister scored off the assist from Conrad Lochocki (Sr., Chalfont, Pa.).

Nevitt was able to break the third tie of the game with a score just under two minutes into the final period, but with both teams down a man, the Wildcats responded again to tie the game at 6-6. Kuchta and Meister connected to give the Falcons another advantage, but Villanova scored three unanswered goals in the next three and a half minutes, two coming on the power play.

Although Air Force cut their deficit to 9-8 on a man-up goal with just 24 seconds remaining, it could not get another tying score, dropping the one-goal contest.

The Wildcats outshot the Falcons 44-30 for the game and dominated on face-offs, winning 15-of-21 for the game, including 6-of-8 in the decisive final quarter.

Meister had a team-high five points with two goals and three assists, while Nevitt added three goals and an assist for the Falcons. Leading the way for the Wildcats was Tim Atkins with three goals and an assist, all in the second half.

Nevitt, who finished the weekend with eight points (five goals, three assists), represented Air Force on the all-tournament team, along with long-stick midfielder Dan Gnazzo (So., Eden Prairie, Minn.).

The Falcons return to action next weekend, March 10, when they head to San Diego, Calif., to take part in the third-annual First 4. Air Force will face off against Yale in the opening game of the doubleheader, slated to begin at 4:00 p.m. (ET), while Duke and Loyola match up in the second game.

Villanova 9, Air Force 8
Air Force Scoring: Goals: Griffin Nevitt 3, Justin Kuchta 2, Will Meister 2, Kevin Crumrine. Assists: Will Meister 3, Griffin Nevitt, Conrad Lochocki.
Villanova Scoring: Goals: Tim Atkins 3, Paul Webber 2, Eric Webber, Eric Heidenberger, Timmy Campbell, Andy German. Assists: Chris MacDonald 2, Andy German 2, Tim Atkins.

Denver Beats No. 19 UMBC, 13-8

Denver Beats No. 19 UMBC, 13-8

Joey Murray named Face-Off Classic Most Valuable Player

DENVER – Michael Goltra (Washington, N.C.) had two goals and a pair of assists, as the No. 20 University of Denver Pioneers knocked off No. 19 UMBC 13-8 in the final game of the 2007 Pioneer Face-Off Classic at Peter Barton Stadium on Sunday.

Denver (3-2) spread the scoring around, as Goltra and Jon Paulson (Fleminton, N.J.) each had two goals, the only Pioneers with more than one.

Joey Murray (Denver) picked up where he left off Saturday by sparking a 5-0 Pioneer run to begin the game. Brad Patterson (Allentown, Pa.), Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.), John Dickenson (Dallas) and Brad Richardson (Langley, British Columbia) also scored in the first period.

UMBC’s Andy Gallagher scored twice to put the Retrievers (2-1) on the board.

Ilija Gajic (Burnaby, British Columbia) and Paulson answered to push DU’s lead back to five, as the Pioneers headed to the locker room with a 7-2 lead.

Gallagher closed the gap with two more goals in the first 3:06 in the third period.

Goltra added another for the Pioneers, but UMBC answered with two more, cutting DU’s lead to just two heading into the fourth quarter.

In the final quarter, the Pioneers outscored the Retrievers 5-2 to ice the victory.

Murray was the unanimous selection for the 2007 Pioneer Face-Off Classic’s Most Valuable Player, as well as heading the All-Tournament Team:

2007 Pioneer Face-Off Classic All-Tournament Team

ATTACK

Joey Murray – Denver
Drew Westervelt – UMBC
Andy Gallagher – UMBC
MIDFIELD
Griffin Nevitt – Air Force
Eric Heidenberger - Villanova
Michael Goltra –Denver
DEFENSE
Dillon Roy – Denver
David Hahn - Denver
Safi Najdawi - Villanova
GOALIE
Eddie DiDonato – Villanova
LONG STICK MIDFIELDER
Dan Gnazzo – Air Force
MVP
Joey Murray – Denver
The Pioneers will play Stony Brook at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium on Saturday, Mar. 10 at 1:30 p.m. MT.

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Strong Second Half Propels #5 CSU over D-III Colorado College

Strong Second Half Propels #5 CSU over D-III Colorado College

Colorado Springs, CO – Trailing 5-4 after the first half, the #5 Colorado State Rams used a balanced scoring attack and strong second half effort to down rival Division III Colorado College on a sunny and relatively warm day in Colorado Springs. CSU outscored the Tigers 7-1 in the final thirty minutes as they slowly pulled away to gain their fourth straight victory in this series. 12 different players ended up on the score sheet on Saturday afternoon as CSU gained an impressive 11-6 win.

After the teams traded goals in the third period, the turning point came when the Rams scored two in less than a minute as Pat Bird (Bishop O’Dowd HS; Oakland, CA) and Stephen Lundberg (Cherry Creek HS; Englewood, CO) each tallied midway through the quarter to give CSU the lead. The Rams never looked back, holding CC scoreless over the last 23:49 to record the victory and move to 2-1 on the young season. CSU scored four goals in the fourth quarter to ice the game.

Danny Stevens (Suffern HS; Suffern, NY) led all scorers with four points on two goals and two assists. Fellow senior attackman Brian Stone (Air Academy HS; Colorado Springs, CO) was the only other Ram with multiple points as he pitched in with two goals of his own. Stone had an excellent game, picking up 8 groundballs in the offensive end as well.

Both goaltenders were on top of their games as Colorado College’s Chris Shopneck recorded 14 saves and CSU junior Tyson Ehinger (Heritage HS; Littleton, CO) snagged 12 of his own for the victory. While Shopneck was doing his best to keep his team in the game, Ehinger had a stellar second half, making eight saves while allowing one goal down the stretch. It was Ehinger’s first start and win for the Rams since before he transferred to the University of Colorado in the 2006 season. Ehinger previously played for CSU in 2005.

While CSU struggled on face-offs in the first half, junior Joel Tromburg (Heritage HS; Littleton, CO) provided a spark off the bench and helped contain CC’s triumvirate in the second half. The Tigers ended the game winning 13/21, but Tromburg was a big help in gaining extra possessions as the Rams started to pull away.

Colorado College was led by dangerous midfielder Hunter Combs, who had three goals, and fellow middie Case Watson, who was good for one goal and one assist. The CSU close defense matched up very well with CC’s attack and gave the Rams a good chance to get stops, especially in the second half.

Colorado State (2-1) finishes up their weekend on Sunday with a game against an up and coming Loyola Marymount squad. LMU is ranked #22 in the latest MCLA poll and is 6-0 on the season. It will mark the Lions’ first trip to Colorado and the first time these teams have met since 1999.

Air Force Falls To No. 20 UMBC, 13-7

Air Force Falls To No. 20 UMBC, 13-7

Denver, Colo. - In the first game of the Pioneer Face-Off Classic, hosted by Denver, the Air Force lacrosse team fell to 20th-ranked UMBC, 13-7. With the loss, the Falcons fall to 1-1 on the season, while UMBC improves to 2-0 on the year.

The Retrievers rolled out to a 4-0 lead before senior captain Will Meister (Denver, Colo.) scored off an assist by Conrad Lochocki (Sr., Chalfont, Pa.) with 2:55 remaining in the opening period. However, UMBC came right back with another goal to take a 5-1 advatange into the second period.

Meister and Lochocki hooked up again on an extra-man opportunity with 9:07 left in the second period to bring the Falcons back within three points, but the Retrievers scored two more goals to go up 7-2. Then, with just under two minutes left in the half, senior Justin Kuchta (Ridgefield, Conn.) notched his first goal of the game on an assist from sophomore Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.), as the Falcons went into the locker room trailing 7-3.

UMBC scored four unanswered goals to open the third period, taking an 11-3 lead before the Falcons got back on the board with an unassisted goal by Nevitt. However, the Retrievers went back up by eight with another goal before the end of the period.

The Falcons were first to score in the final period, as Nevitt rebounded his own saved shot for his second goal of the game. UMBC was next to find its way into the net, with a score at the 7:45 mark. Air Force closed out the game with two scores in the final two minutes, but the team could not overcome its early deficit, falling 13-7.

Although UMBC outshot Air Force 17-3 in the opening period, the teams ended even with 38 shots each. The Falcons also had five man-up opportunities, but capitalized on just one, while UMBC was 1-of-1 on the power play.

Nevitt had a team-high four points, finishing with two goals and two assists, while Lochocki added a goal and an assist and Meister and Kuchta finished with two goals each. Drew Westervelt led UMBC with three goals and four assists, while Cayle Ratcliffe also finished with three goals.

The Falcons are back in action tomorrow, March 4, when they wrap up the Pioneer Face-Off Classic with a contest versus Villanova. The game is slated to begin at 11:00 a.m. at Barton Lacrosse Stadium.

UMBC 13, Air Force 7
UMBC Scoring: Goals: Drew Westervelt 3, Cayle Ratcliffe 3, Andy Gallagher 2, Terry Kimener 2, Kyle Wimer, Matt Latham, P.J. Kimener. Assists: Drew Westervelt 4, Kyle Wimer 4, Andy Gallagher, Terry Kimener, Kelvin Molden, Jr.
Air Force Scoring: Goals: Will Meister 2, Justin Kuchta 2, Griffin Nevitt 2, Conrad Lochocki. Assists: Conrad Lochocki 2, Griffin Nevitt 2.

DU Beats Villanova 12-11 in Double OT

DU Beats Villanova 12-11 in Double OT

Joey Murray scores a sock trick, and Dillon Roy hits the game-winner on his first career goal

DENVER – With No. 20 Denver trailing by one and only one tick remaining on the clock, John Dickenson (Dallas) scored a game-tying goal, and Dillon Roy (Denver) stole the ball and scored the game-winning in the second overtime, as DU beat Villanova 12-11 Saturday afternoon in the Pioneers Face Off Classic.

Joey Murray (Denver) scored a sock trick with six goals, and one of his two assists was a feed to Dickenson to set up the goal at the end of regulation.

Villanova (1-2) scored first at the 11:23 mark, but Denver (2-2) responded with three unanswered, a pair by Murray and one by Brad Richardson (Langley, British Columbia).

The Wildcats went on a 4-0 run over the next six minutes, but Murray’s hat-trick goal with just over a minute left in the first period left the Pioneers only a goal down.

Villanova opened up the second period with two goals in a six second span at 13:08. Murray scored his fourth goal, and Ilija Gajic (Burnaby, British Columbia) scored with just over eight minutes remaining in the half.

After the Wildcats increased the lead to three, Jon Paulson (Fleminton, N.J.) scored with 13 seconds left in the half, and DU trailed 9-7 heading into the locker room.

Murray hit the back of the net again with 10 minutes remaining for the Pioneers only goal of the third period. DU held Villanova scoreless until Tim Atkins scored with one second remaining and keeping the Wildcats in front, 10-8.

The Wildcats added a goal with 5:55 remaining in the fourth quarter to increase their lead to three.

Paulson and Murray brought Denver within one with a goal each in the final 4:17, setting up Dickinson and Roy’s heroics.

Eric Heidenberger led the Wildcats with four goals.

The Pioneers continue the Pioneer Face Off Classic when they face No. 19 UMBC at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium on Sunday, Mar. 4 at 1:30 p.m. MT.