MLAX falls by one to Utah, 9-8

Box Score (PDF)

MILWAUKEE – The Marquette University men's lacrosse team fell 9-8 to Utah on Saturday afternoon at Valley Fields.

Devon Cowan, Luke Blanc and Jake Stegman each scored a pair of goals for the Golden Eagles (3-2), while goalie Caleb Creasor made 11 saves in net. MU also won 66.7 percent of its faceoffs (14-of-21), led by an 11-of-14 effort by graduate captain Luke Williams, who picked up nine ground balls.

"I thought we played well defensively and I think (Caleb) Creasor really stepped up and made some big saves," MU head coach Andrew Stimmel said. "The big thing coming off the last two games (against Notre Dame and Michigan) was trying to come together defensively and play the type of lacrosse that we needed to play. Offensively a big key for us today was getting in and stopping transition. I thought a lot of things we did really well to keep a lid on them. Those guys can score a lot of goals by running the field."

Utah (2-3) took a two-goal lead early in the first quarter and never trailed, though MU pulled the score even, 8-8, just 28 seconds into the fourth quarter on Blanc's second score.

Utah's MJ McMahon scored the eventual winner with 7:22 remaining and the Utes held the Golden Eagles off the scoresheet the rest of the way.

"Obviously with a 9-8 game we didn't put enough away to win the game," Stimmel said. "Something we're going to have to continue to work through. It's six games into the season, still early and a lot of room for us to grow and improve. Ultimately this three-game stretch is something that we have to look back on and try to continue to get better."

NOTABLE:

Utah has won all three regular season meetings against Marquette by two goals-or-less. The Utes also claimed an 18-16 victory in Salt Lake City last season on Feb. 11, 2023, and a 12-11 win in 2022 at Valley Fields.
MU defenseman Mason Woodward added to his other-worldly career numbers against the Utes with six ground balls on Saturday. In three career games against Utah, Woodward has picked up 25 ground balls and caused 10 turnovers.

UP NEXT: The Golden Eagles will spend the next five weekends on the road before their next home game against Providence on April 13. MU's next game in Saturday, March 9 against Bellarmine in Louisiville, Kentucky.

Keep up with the Marquette men's lacrosse program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteMLax) and Instagram (@MarquetteMLax) and 'liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteMLax).