Men's Lacrosse Pushes by Dallas Baptist University
DALLAS, Texas – The University of Dallas men's lacrosse team utilized a big second half, starting with a six-goal third quarter, to claim a victory on Tuesday night at Dallas Baptist University. The final score favored the Crusaders 11-6. This is the second year in a row Dallas has won its season-opener and both are the only times in the five-year history of the program.
The guests would get on the board early as senior Matthew Cyr (St. Louis, Mo.) fired the first goal of the campaign for UD just under four minutes from the beginning faceoff. Dallas Baptist would tie things with 4:07 left in the opening quarter. Freshman Peter Early (San Antonio, Texas) lifted the Crusaders ahead, 2-1, with his first collegiate netter about a minute later.
After DBU rattled two goals in the second quarter and kept the Navy and White at bay until Cyr tickled the twine with 2:35 before intermission. The score at halftime was even 3-all.
In the third quarter, the Crusaders shifted the momentum by piling a game-high six goals through the 15 minutes. The offense found the back of the net quickly with three goals being tallied within the first minute and a half. Junior Wellington Waller (Dallas, Texas) picked up his first goal with UD with 14:17 left.
That goal shifted the momentum and gave Dallas the advantage for the night, as freshman Ryan Thie (Saint Paul, Minn.) tallied the first of an eventual hat trick about 10 seconds later. Thie would score again with 13:07 left in the quarter. Senior Alex Ziolkowski (Ann Arbor, Mich.) would tally two of the team's five assists.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-Thie secured his first collegiate hat trick, with all goals occurring in the third frame. He also was effective logging four shots – all on cage. Freshman Ben Blessard (Falls Church, Va.) and Cyr each logged multiple scoring matches with two apiece.
- Sophomore Joshua McClendon (Redondo Beach, Calif.) would round out a quartet of Crusaders to net their first goals of their careers with the program. Seven different members logged scoring results for UD.
- Cyr led the team with four points, while Ziolkowski and Thie followed with three each. Dallas managed 46 ground balls to the Patriots' 24. The Crusaders won faceoffs nine times out of 20 attempts, with Ziolkowski claiming eight of them individually.
- Senior Ryan Murphy picked up 12 saves and faced 18 shots for his first win of the campaign.
- Dallas Baptist was led by Mason Pritcher with 13 of the team's 33 shots. Albright and Pritcher each had two goals to lead the squad. Tyler Middleton was saddled in a complete game loss. He made 18 saves.
UP NEXT
Dallas welcomes Ottawa University for the home-opener on Sunday, February 7. Start time is around 1 p.m. after the women's lacrosse match two hours prior that day. This tilt begins a 10-game homestand for the Crusaders.