ALAMOSA, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo men's lacrosse team opened Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play here Wednesday as the ThunderWolves recorded 36 shots and scored 11 goals in a 15-11 setback to Adams State at the ASU Lacrosse Field.
With the setback, the Pack fall to 0-4 overall and 0-1 in the RMAC, while Adams State wins its first game of the season and moves to 1-2 overall and 1-0 in the RMAC.
In Wednesday's game, three Pack players tallied two or more goals as sophomore midfielder
Chris Easley (Southington, Conn./Weber) led the way with three goals, while sophomore attacker
Andrew Dzubak (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Mount Saint Vincent) and senior midfielder
Kevin Gallagher (Castle Rock, Colo./Castle View) each scored two goals against the Grizzlies.
The Pack, who trailed 6-4 after the opening period, outscored ASU 3-2 in the second period to drop Adams' lead to 8-7 at the half. In the second, the Grizzlies outscored the Pack, 7-4 to earn its second straight victory over the Pack.
CSU Pueblo got the scoring started in the game's opening two minutes on an unassisted goal by junior midfielder
Luke Mummert (Albuquerque, N.M./Albuquerque), but ASU came right back about 40 seconds later and tied the game on an goal by Joy Danny.
Easley gave the Pack a 2-1 lead with 10 minutes left in the opening period off an assist by Dzubak. But ASU retied the game on a goal by Kris Owens about two minutes later. The Pack would then take a 4-2 lead thanks to goals by Dzubak and Easley with 7:05 left in the period. Easley's goal was assisted by Dzubak, who finished with four in the game.
The Grizzlies would then score four straight goals to close the first period to take a 6-4 lead after the first 15 minutes of play.
After Dawson Balabanoff gave the Grizzlies a 7-4 lead just three-plus minutes into the period, the Pack scored three of the next four goals to cut ASU's lead to 8-7 at the half. The Pack's goals came from Easley off an assist by Dzubak, while the second goal was an unassisted one by Easley and Gallagher scored the third goal off an assist by Dzubak.
Adams State would score four of the first five goals of the third period to push its lead 12-8. The Pack's scored was an unassisted goal by junior attacker
Johnny Cole (University Place, Wash./Curtis Senior). The Pack would close the period with goals by sophomore attacker
Kyle Parker (Hamilton, New Zealand/Northland College) off an assist by junior midfielder
Brett Woolcock (Humble, Texas/Atascocita) and Woolcock scored an unassisted goal with 39 seconds left in the period to cut the Grizzlies' lead to 13-10.
ASU pushed its lead to 15-10 after using goals by Balabanoff and Brett Carberry just four-plus minutes into the final period. Gallagher would cap the scoring for the Pack with his unassisted goal with 8:11 remaining.
Dzubak, Gallagher and sophomore midfielder
Lane Lessley (Lakewood, Colo./Lakewood) each had six shots, while Easley took five shots on the day. ASU a combined 13 shots from Lash Matthew (7) and Tyler Hubbard (6).
The Pack, though, held a 20-10 edge in face-offs as sophomore midfielder
Bryce Campbell (Meridian, Idaho/Meridian) was 17-for-20 on the game in face-offs.
ASU finished with a 36-25 edge in ground balls as sophomore goalie
Connor Russell (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven) had four ground balls, while Campbell, Parker and senior midfielder
CJ Rowe (Indianapolis, Ind./CU-Chicago) each had three in the setback.
Balabanoff and Owens each had three goals for the Grizzlies, while Lash and Hubbard each had two goals in the win.
Both teams combined for nine extra man opportunities as the Pack were 0-for-6 and ASU was 1-for-3. Both teams also committed 21 turnovers in the game.
Russell played all 60 minutes between the pipes for the Pack and finished with 10 saves and allowed 15 goals, while Ryan Berger played all 60 minutes in goal for ASU and recorded 16 saves, 10 ground balls, one caused turnover and allowed 11 goals.
The Pack will next be in action on Thursday, March 14 with a 12 p.m. home contest at ALG Stadium against William Jewell.
