Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Locker-Stabler Cup and the title for "The Best in the West" will remain with Colorado College for the fifth consecutive year as they held off the Whittier College men's lacrosse team 9-3 Friday evening at Memorial Stadium.
The "Locker-Stabler Cup" was created to honor legendary coaches Doug Locker and Doc Stabler who helped bring lacrosse to the West Coast and was instituted back in 2011.
The three goals by the Purple & Gold was the lowest they have totaled in a single game this season. They were blanked in the first quarter and found themselves trailing 3-0. After Dylan Davie struck for the eventual game winner 3:56 into the second quarter, junior attacker Maxwell Jones (Fircrest, WA) put Whittier on the scoreboard adding his first of two strikes capitalizing on a man-up opportunity.
Trailing 5-1 with 4:12 remaining in the first half, freshman Nick Hernandez (La Mesa, Calif.) was able to find the back of the goal being fed by Jones that cut the deficit to three after the first 30 minutes.
The count remained 5-2 late into the third when Sam Dardani and Eric Neumeyer scored in a span of 44 seconds on consecutive possessions that moved the score to 7-2.
Whittier trimmed its deficit to 7-3 when Jones notched his second goal with 8:25 to play, but Colorado College sealed the victory with tallies by Gray Ritger and Dardani during the final three minutes.
The Poets won 11-16 face-offs thanks to Scott Pescheret (Eagan, MN) and finished with a slight 34-29 edge in total shots. Groundballs were even 21-21 and freshman Alex Cramer (Rocky Hill, CT) totaled 12 saves in the loss. The teams will play again on Friday, April 24 at Washburn Field.
Jones led the offense with two goals and an assist. Max Myrick (San Diego, Calif.) picked up five groundballs, and Tommy Andrews (Tustin, Calif.) and Matthew Prado (Whittier, Calif.) finished with a combined seven caused turnovers.
Whittier wraps up their homestand today, Saturday, April 11 as they host Carthage College beginning at 4:00pm.
