MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – The College of Idaho's season came to a close Thursday morning after falling to top seed and defending champion University of St. Thomas (Minn.), 16-12, in the MCLA National Championship Tournament semifinal. The Yotes completed their winningest season with 16 victories, surpassing the program's previous best of 14 wins during the 2019 campaign.
After stumbling in the first half, C of I came out strong to begin the second half.
Colin Lantz scored on the opening possession after the break to cut the deficit to 9-4. The Tommies matched the Yotes goal for goal until
Trevor Shoopman scored in the final seconds of the third quarter, as C of I outscored the defending champions 5-4 in the period.
The Yotes kept the momentum rolling to start the fourth quarter, with
Trevor Shoopman scoring less than a minute into the frame. The deficit proved too much to overcome, however, as St. Thomas escaped with the victory.
No other team scored as many goals against St. Thomas this season. Coming off an MCLA tournament record 28 saves in the quarterfinals,
Brogan Rice added 13 saves in the semifinal and finished the season with 223 saves.
Noah Geise delivered an impressive faceoff performance in the biggest game of his career, winning 16 faceoffs, many of which led to potent offensive possessions. He led the team with nine ground balls. Lantz scored three more goals to record back-to-back hat tricks in the tournament.
Grayson Flatten and
Trevor Shoopman each added two goals, while
Finn Simon,
Henry Harris, and
Logan Bjornethun also found the net.
Defensively, the Yotes held one of the highest-scoring teams in the MCLA to just 16 goals. Their ability to slide and compete on every possession kept C of I within striking distance throughout the game. Benjamin Milory caused two turnovers.
The team showcased its high ceiling, with every Yote who appeared in the semifinal slated to return next season. With the experience gained during this tournament run, C of I is positioned to reload for another deep postseason push.
