PUEBLO, Colo. (March 19, 2016) — Colorado State University Pueblo men's lacrosse could not carry a strong start to victory as the Pack fell to Young Harris College 16-9 Saturday in the first game of their four-game spring break road trip.
The Pack got off to a hot start as they poured in six goals in the first quarter. However, Young Harris would outscore the Pack 11-3 over the final 45 minutes to send the Pack to a 0-4 record.
Joe McDonough (Fr., Jacksonville, N.C.) led the Pack with three goals on four shots. McDonough's three goals gave him the first hat trick of his college career. He now has six points over his last two games.
Extra man opportunities worked in the Mountain Lions favor. The referees called seven penalties on the Pack, six of which came in the second half. Young Harris cashed in on two of these opportunities as the ThunderWolves worked a man down on six occasions in the second half.
Nick Matzek (R-So. Tustin, Calif.)spotted the Pack an early 2-0 lead as he potted two goals in the opening 3:05 of the first quarter. Matzek now stands tied for the Pack's lead in points with nine. His eight goals ranks second on the team.
Young Harris responded with three goals of their own to take the lead with 5:18 left in the first. Less than 20 seconds later, Kelton Himmelberg (Jr., Centennial, Colo.) fired in the equalized to tie the game at three.
After a Mountain Lion goal, the Pack went on a three-score outburst to take a 6-4 lead. McDonough got his first of the game in this run. Blake Foerster (Jr., Centennial, Colo.) and Taylor Davis (Fr., Littleton, Colo.) both lit the lamp in the last minute of the first to put the Pack up two.
However, the Mountain Lions snuck one in as time expired. CSU-Pueblo carried a 6-5 lead into the second quarter.
In the second quarter the tide shifted. Young Harris pocketed the first five goals of the frame to take a 10-6 lead. McDonough got the Pack on the board with 2:32 left in the second as he cut the Mountain Lion lead to 10-7 heading into halftime.
Coming out of intermission, Young Harris netted three consecutive goals in the first five minutes as they pushed their advantage to 13-7. The Pack attempted to rally. Weston Bartgis (Fr., El Cajon, Calif.) rifled in his third of the season to end the Mountain Lion run. McDonough whipped in his third of the game to bring the Pack back within four.
Young Harris added one more before the end of the third. They held a 14-9 lead heading into the final frame.
CSU-Pueblo could not get on the board in the fourth as they played a man down three times in the final frame. The Mountain Lions scored the only two goals of the fourth, both of which came on extra man opportunities as they prevailed with a 16-9 win.
Following his record setting nine ground ball game Wednesday, Preston DeHerrera (Jr., Northglenn, Colo.) secured a team high five grounders. DeHerrera leads the Pack with 18 ground balls in 2016. Caleb Johnson (So., Castle Rock, Colo) claimed four ground balls. He has 16 on the season.
The Pack held a 17-11 advantage in the faceoff circle. However, the ThunderWolves turned the ball over 20 times and were outshot 45-32 in the loss.
CSU-Pueblo will try to earn its first win Monday when they continue their spring break road trip with a visit to Emmanuel College at 4 p.m. Monday's showdown with the Lions continues a stretch of six games in 15 days for the Pack.
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
