PUEBLO, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo men's lacrosse opened its 2024 season here Sunday afternoon with a high-scoring 15-11 setback to Dominican University of California in non-conference action at ALG Stadium.

With the setback, the Pack fall to 0-1 on the season, while Dominican improved to 2-0 overall. The Penquins opened its season with a 19-7 win Friday at Adams State.

The 11 goals in Sunday's game were the most scored by the ThunderWolves in a season opener since scoring 12 goals in a 12-11 win over Adams State to open the 2019 season. The Pack averaged just 6.4 goals per game last season and scored in double figures just one time in 14 games.

In Sunday's season opener, the Pack trailed 5-2 after the opening quarter, before outscoring the Panquins 4-2 in the second period to cut Dominican's halftime lead to 7-6. The Penquins would outscore the Pack, 8-5, in the second half to post its second road victory of the young season.

Sophomore midfielder Lane Lessley (Lakewood, Colo./Lakewood) and senior midfielder Ezra Terry (Shreveport, La./Hendrix College) had a hand in eight of the Pack's 11 goals as they both scored three goals and added an assist each in the setback. The only other multiple goal scorer for the Pack was sophomore Kyle Parker (Hamilton, New Zealand/Northland College) as he tallied two goals. The Pack also got seven assists on their 11 made goals.

Dominican wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as they scored three goals in the game's opening four-plus minutes to lead 3-0. The Pack, got its first goal of the game on an unassisted tally by Lessley with 9:34 left in the first period. Terry would score the Pack's second goal sandwiched around goals by Dominican's Noah Gibson (7:50) and Connor Barnes (4:18) to give the Penquins its 5-2 lead after the opening 15 minutes of play.

Lessley added his second goal just two minutes into the second period to pull the Pack within two goals to 5-3. A goal by Per-Anders Olters with 11:23 left in the period gave DUC a 6-3 lead, but the Pack would tie things thanks to goals by sophomore attacker Andrew Dzubek (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Mount Saint Vincent), sophomore midfielder Chris Easley (Southington, Conn./Weber) and Parker. Parker's goal off an assist by freshman midfielder Gideon Butler (Littleton, Colo./Heritage) tied the game at 6-all with three minutes in the second period.

Dominican, though, used a third goal in the first half by Barnes with 1:58 left in the period to give the Penguins a 7-6 lead at the half.

Jesse Fisher opened the scoring in the third period to Dominican to push its lead to 8-6, before senior midfielder CJ Rowe (Indianapolis, Ind./Concordia-Chicago) added his first goal of the with 6:47 left in the period to pull with Pack back within a goal at 8-7. The Penquins would score four of the final five goals of the third period with the lone Pack coming from Terry off an assist by Dzubek to give DUC a 12-8 lead heading into the final period.

Fisher opened the scoring for DUC in fourth period to give the Penquins a 13-8 lead, but the Pack would not go down without a fight as goals by Lessley at 8:43 and Terry at 8:05 left in the game off assists from sophomore midfielder Aaron Bell (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) and Easley respectively helped bring the Pack within three goals at 13-10.

DUC would got insurance goals from Zach Thomas at 7:15 and Olters at 6:09 to give the visitors as five-goal cushion at 15-10. Parker would complete the game's scoring with his goal off an assist by Terry with 3:25 remaining to pull the Pack within 15-11.

Fisher, Olters and Barnes each scored three goals for Dominican, while Thomas and Brennan Krebs each recorded two goals in the win.

The Pack were outshot, 46-41, but the Pack held a 25-20 edge in shots in the second half. Lessley led the Pack attack with a game-high 10 shots, while Parker finished with seven and Terry took six shots. Olters (9) and Thomas (8) combined for 17 shots for the Penquins.

Both teams struggled with their extra-man opportunities in the game as the Pack were just 4-for-13, while Dominican was 2-for-8 as the game featured a combined 21 penalties with 13 of them called on Dominican for 11 minutes and 30 seconds and the Pack had eight penalties for six minutes and 30 seconds.

DUC finished with 29 ground balls and 20 turnovers, while the Pack had 22 ground balls, including four by freshman goalie Zander Katz (Thornton, Colo./Horizon) and they committed 27 turnovers.

The Pack were 12-for-27 on faceoffs in the game as sophomore midfielder Bryce Campbell (Meridian, Idaho/Meridian) was for 8-for-13 and Dzubek was 4-for-12. DUC's Joshua Peavey was 11-for-20 on faceoffs.

Both teams each finished with 10 saves on the day. 

Sophomore goalie Zane Lassberg (Houston, Texas/Westside) had seven saves and allowed seven goals in the first half, while Katz recorded three saves and allowed eight goals in the second half. Tristan Hunter played a little over 57 minutes in goal for DUC and had nine saves and allowed 10 goals, while Matt Padilla played 2:48 in the game and allowed one goal and made one save.

The Pack will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 17 as they host Rockhurst for a 12 p.m. non-conference game at ALG Stadium. Last season, the Hawks collected a 22-6 win last season in Kansas City, Mo.