Box Score Columbia, Mo. – This evening the Columbia College men's lacrosse team hosted the Robert Morris University Eagles in a nonconference matchup. The Cougars defeated the Eagles by a final score of 14-10 to move to 4-7 on the season.
The Cougars got on the board quickly as Kellen Brechbill scored just 40 seconds into the game to take a 1-0 lead over the Eagles. Caden Walters bounced one in to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead less than five minutes in. Seconds later the Eagles were able to get on the board as they cut the lead 2-1. With 3:40 left in the first quarter, the Eagles would tie it up 2-2. Columbia responded immediately with a goal from Cooper Heck to take the lead back 3-2. The Cougars struck again with a rocket from Jeremiah Lerch to take a two goal lead. Under a minute to go in the first, the Eagles squeezed one in to cut the lead back to one, 4-3.
Walters grabbed his second goal at the 12:49 mark in the second quarter as the Cougars led 5-3. Another immediate response, as the Eagles once again cut the lead to 5-4. Brechbill shook his defender and was able to find the back of the net to take back the two goal lead. The Eagles not going away, scored again to make the score 6-5 Cougars. With 5:16 left in the half, the game was tied up at 6 apiece. With 0.1 on the clock, Walters did a great job of finding his teammate, Sam Crum, who knocked it in to give Columbia a 7-6 lead at the break.
Crum would hit again as Columbia took a two goal lead yet again with 9:24 left in the third. Lerch with another rifle gave the Cougars their largest lead of the night as it was 9-6. The Columbia run continued as Carson Morrissey got on the board making it 10-6. The Eagles ended the Cougar run as they scored with 5:04 on the clock as they trailed by three. Lerch got the four goal lead right back as he found his third goal of the night with under five in the third. The Eagles refused to go away as they found the net cutting the lead 11-8 heading into the final quarter.
With 7:45 left in the game Heck grabbed his second goal of the night, but the Eagles answered quickly as they trailed 12-9 in the fourth. A big shot from Lerch, his fourth on the night, put the Cougars up 13-9 with seven minutes to go. Walters, with his third goal of the game, gave Columbia a five goal lead with five and a half minutes to play. The Cougars would close the game out with a 14-10 victory over the Eagles.
Riley McDermott was in goal tonight as he made six saves in the contest.
The lacrosse team is back in action on Saturday, April 14th when they travel to Dubuque, Iowa to take on Clarke University. The game is set to start at noon.
