COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Elmhurst University men's lacrosse team secured a hard-fought 10-7 victory over Colorado College, fueled by a strong second-half performance.
The game was evenly matched through the first half, with both teams exchanging blows and entering halftime with Colorado leading 5-4. However, Elmhurst took control in the third period and dominated the second half, outscoring Colorado 6-2 to clinch the win.
Elmhurst was led by Eli Spence, who delivered another standout performance with three goals and two assists. Pete Grebe also made a significant impact with two goals, while Kaden Ames contributed two goals as well. Sam Hoff played the role of facilitator, dishing out three assists, and Brenden Crouse added a goal and an assist. Goalie Noah Mickelson anchored the defense with 10 saves to secure the victory.
Both teams registered 39 total shots, but Elmhurst edged Colorado in shots on goal, 18-17. Elmhurst's defense was particularly effective in the second half, holding Colorado to just two goals and forcing 23 turnovers in total. The Bluejays also won the faceoff battle, securing 12 of 20 attempts, which played a crucial role in maintaining possession and dictating the pace of play.
The game started with an early goal from Colorado's Karsten Nyarady at 14:10, assisted by Max Vota. Elmhurst quickly responded with a man-up goal by Ames off an assist from Spence at 12:43. Less than a minute later, Hunter Hernandez found the back of the net off another Spence assist to give Elmhurst a 2-1 lead. Colorado answered back swiftly, with Trevor Mackles scoring unassisted at 11:37. The Tigers then added two more goals, one from Kevin Somerville at 7:59 and another from Matt Hudson at 7:06, extending their lead to 4-2. Elmhurst closed the period strong, as Ames struck again unassisted at 3:19, followed by Fischer Son's goal off a Kyle Taylor assist with 1:25 remaining, tying the game 4-4 at the end of the first.
Colorado took the lead early in the second period when Brooks Power scored unassisted at 13:04, making it 5-4. Both teams played tough defense for the remainder of the period, with neither team able to capitalize on offensive opportunities. Elmhurst managed just one shot on goal in the period, while Colorado had five, but Mickelson stood tall in the net, keeping the game within reach as Elmhurst entered halftime trailing by one.
Elmhurst emerged from halftime with renewed energy, taking control of the game in the third period. At 11:54, Grebe scored off an assist from Sam Hoff to tie the game at 5-5. Elmhurst continued its offensive surge as Spence netted his first goal of the game at 6:03, also assisted by Hoff, to give the Bluejays their first lead since the first period. With 3:46 left in the period, Crouse added another goal from Hoff, extending the lead to 7-5. Defensively, Elmhurst limited Colorado to just one shot on goal in the period, marking a turning point in the game.
Elmhurst kept the momentum rolling in the final period. Grebe struck again at 11:56 off a Crouse assist, pushing the lead to 8-5. Spence then scored unassisted at 4:05, giving Elmhurst a comfortable 9-5 advantage. Colorado attempted a late comeback with a goal from Brooks Power at 2:55, but Spence sealed the victory with another unassisted goal at 1:53. Andrew Tan managed to add one last goal for Colorado with 45 seconds remaining, but it was too little too late as Elmhurst closed out the 10-7 win.
UP NEXT
Elmhurst will begin CCIW action next Saturday, April 5, hosting Carthage College under the lights at Langhorst Field for a 7:30 p.m. start.
FOLLOW THE BLUEJAYS
Be sure to keep up with all Elmhurst University Athletics content by following the Bluejays on Twitter (@elmhurstbluejay), Facebook (Elmhurst University Athletics) and Instagram (@elmhurstbluejays), and tune in to elmhurstbluejays.com for the latest news and information.
