ST. PAUL, MINN. – The University of Northwestern men's lacrosse team returned home to take on the Marian University Sabres in a Monday evening Midwest Lacrosse Conference (MLC) contest. The Eagles looked to avenge last season's 11-8 loss to the Sabres last season, but Marian was able to hang on to beat the Eagles 18-16. With the loss, UNW falls to 7-5 overall and 4-5 in MLC play.
 
The first half was a tale of runs. Marian dominated the first quarter, as they outscored UNW 7-4. The Eagles would respond with a dominant quarter of their own. Noah Vander Kooi (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo) scored three goals in the second frame to help lift Northwestern to an 11-10 lead going into halftime.
 
The third quarter would slow down for both teams. Each team would net three goals in the third, and Northwestern would hold on to their one goal lead entering the final frame. The Eagles pulled away early in the fourth quarter, scoring two quick goals. The Sabres were not going to go away that easily, however. Marian would end the final 10 minutes on a 5-0 run to win the game.
 
Vander Kooi would finish the contest with seven goals and two assists to lead the UNW offense. Chase Marlenee (Northfield, Minn./Northfield) was a key distributor, tallying six assists to go along with a goal. Keller Stephens (Lino Lakes, Minn./Mounds View) would finish the contest with four goals, and Mat Anderson (Little Canada, Minn./Roseville) would add in three goals and an assist as well, respectively. In net, Zach Shockency (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater) totaled 17 saves in the loss.
 
Northwestern plays their final home contest of the season Wednesday, April 24 against conference-leading Concordia Wisconsin. For all things Eagle lacrosse, fans can follow @unw_lacrosse on Instagram and visit www.unweagles.com.