MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – The fifth-seeded Yotes opened the MCLA National Championship Tournament with a 15-8 victory over tenth-seeded University of Tampa on Monday afternoon. The win marked the second MCLA national tournament victory in program history.
Coach
Drake O'Neill credited the group's chemistry following the win. "We're just a family. We're tough. We're gritty. The biggest thing is these kids love each other," O'Neill said.
Tampa struck first as season-leading scorer Nicholas Alicanti found the net just one minute into the contest. The Yotes responded quickly as
Trevor Shoopman scored the first of his three goals on the night.
After the teams traded goals early,
Grayson Flatten gave the Yotes their first lead with his second of four goals, making it 3-2 with just under nine minutes remaining in the first quarter. Flatten completed his hat trick in fewer than seven minutes of game action, scoring three consecutive goals during the surge.
Zac Shoopman capped the opening quarter by scoring while man down, giving the Yotes a 5-3 lead heading into the break.
The College of Idaho extended its momentum into the second quarter.
Logan Bjornethun recorded an assist on a goal by
Colin Lantz to open the scoring in the period. Shortly after,
Wyatt Neu pushed the lead to 7-4, scoring through contact after Tampa committed a slash while already playing man down.
The Spartans struggled with discipline throughout the game, committing 12 penalties compared to four for the Yotes. The physical play proved costly as Lantz scored on a two-man-down defense and drew a late hit, resulting in a two-minute unreleasable penalty. The Yotes capitalized on the extended man advantage and carried a 10-5 lead into halftime.
The Yotes remained effective even while playing man down. Of the four times The College of Idaho was shorthanded, it scored twice, including Lantz's third goal early in the third quarter.
Tampa continued to battle penalty trouble in the third, and the Yotes took advantage by pulling away to a 14-6 lead by the end of the period.
The fourth quarter showcased the poise of the fifth-ranked team. The Yotes moved the ball efficiently, controlled possession and drained the clock to close out the win.
After his four-goal performance, Lantz reflected on the physicality of tournament play. "It's time to get comfortable being uncomfortable," he said. "There are a lot of good teams in this bracket and a lot of good teams in this tournament. We have to compete to the best of our ability."
Brogan Rice anchored the Yotes defensively with 13 saves.
Eli Longstreet finished with a team-high six ground balls, caused two turnovers and added two assists.
Noah Geise won 14 of 23 faceoffs to help secure the possession advantage.
With the victory, The College of Idaho advanced to the quarterfinals for a rematch against fourth-seeded Air Force. The Falcons edged the Yotes 13-10 in the regular-season meeting.
Flatten emphasized the team's approach heading into the matchup. "Play our level of lacrosse," he said. "That's what we preach. Control the controllables."
The quarterfinal is scheduled for a 4:15 p.m. MT faceoff.
