Three hat tricks help Men's Lacrosse prevail late against the Gents

BOSSIER CITY, La. – The University of Dallas men's lacrosse team (4-5) ended a three-game losing streak and defeated Centenary College of Louisiana (1-6) in a nail-biter on Saturday. Dallas has topped the Gents twice this campaign, with victories at both venues.

It was a rainy day, and both squads struggled early to find any kind of scoring traction. After senior Cody Wooten (Aurora, Colo.) matched Centenary with a goal in the opening quarter, the home squad would reclaim the advantage with two in a row from Alex Vandruff.

Wooten's second netter of his hat trick nipped the margin to one as the Gents carried a 3-2 scoring tally into halftime.

In the third quarter, junior Matthew Cyr (St. Louis, Mo.) produced his first goal of the day and would second scoring result that would knot the affair. His latter effort to close out the stanza would bring things to 5-all. The attack would eventually post UD's second of three hat tricks, and maintains a seven-game scoring streak.

Dallas went in front for the first time in the game about a minute and a half into the fourth, and would never relinquish the rest of the way. The Crusaders benefited from a 5-3 scoring differential in the final quarter.

Also joining the trio of hat tricks was junior Alex Ziolkowski (Ann Arbor, Mich.), who notched his second overall and fourth multiple goal performance. Two of his netters occurred in the fourth frame.

Cyr and Ziolkowski each picked up 10 groundballs apiece, as Centenary held a 50-48 advantage overall.

Vandruff produced a hat trick for the Maroon and White while Garrett Wick chipped in two, along with 10 grounders for a team-best.

Junior Ryan Murphy (Yorba Linda, Calif.) claimed the win (4-5) in the cage with 60 minutes of action. He nabbed 14 saves against 22 shots faced.

Centenary's Coulton Toups (1-6) picked up seven saves while going against 17 shots.

UP NEXT

Dallas returns home for its final contest in Irving, Texas, this year on March 26. It will be Senior Day for three Crusaders: Zachary Wellwerts (McHenry, Ill.), Charles Shaughnessy (Cimarron, Kan.) and Wooten.

Start time is slated for 4:30 p.m.