CALDWELL, Idaho - The College of Idaho men's lacrosse team enters the PNCLL Tournament with momentum and a target on its back, as the No. 4-ranked Yotes earned the No. 1 seed out of the PNCLL South Division and will face Northern Division runner-up Western Washington University in Saturday's PNCLL semifinal at 11:00 AM MT in University Place, Washington.
The Yotes secured the top northern seed after a dominant regular season and will look to replicate their emphatic 14-2 victory over the Vikings earlier this spring. In that contest, The College of Idaho set the tone early and never let up, holding Western Washington scoreless after the opening quarter.
Despite a tightly contested first frame that ended with the Yotes holding a 3-2 advantage, C of I clamped down defensively the rest of the way, allowing no goals over the final three quarters.
Wyatt Neu led the offensive outburst with a standout performance, scoring four goals and adding three assists to fuel the decisive win.
C of I has several dynamic playmakers which features multiple players among the PNCLL's most productive scorers.
Trevor Shoopman has put together an exceptional campaign of his own, pacing the Yotes with 71 points on 33 goals and 38 assists, while
Grayson Flatten has been a constant scoring threat with 39 goals and 30 assists on the year. Neu has been productive all season and has 32 goals and 26 assists to tally 58 points on the season. n
Henry Harris has added another layer of offensive firepower, totaling 27 points which includes 20 goals.
The Yotes have also been strong in transition and defensively, with
Zac Shoopman,
Luqa Longstreet and
Parker Allumbaugh leading the way. Shoopman has caused 23 turnovers and picked up 33 ground balls, while Longstreet has contributed 33 ground balls and 18 caused turnovers. Allumbaugh has been active on both ends of the field, tallying 31 ground balls, 11 caused turnovers and winning five faceoffs.
In goal, The College of Idaho has leaned on
Brogan Rice, who has posted a solid 73.3 save percentage while anchoring a defense that has consistently limited opposing offenses.
The winner of the Yotes' semifinal matchup with Western Washington will advance to face either Northern Division champion Montana or Sourthern Division No. 2 seed Western Oregon on Sunday April 26th at 11:00 AM MT. The College of Idaho has already been tested by both potential opponents this season.
The Yotes needed double overtime to escape with a 10-9 victory over Montana, which currently sits at No. 7 in the MCLA national rankings. In contrast, C of I controlled its meeting with Western Oregon from the outset, rolling to a 16-2 win.
With a proven resume against the PNCLL's top teams and a balanced roster featuring scoring depth, defensive intensity and postseason-tested resilience, The College of Idaho enters the conference tournament focused on taking the next step toward a PNCLL championship and a return to the national stage.
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