DUBUQUE, Iowa – Midwest Lacrosse Conference play commenced on Saturday for the University of Northwestern Men's Lacrosse team, as the Eagles traveled to the University of Dubuque. Oddly enough, Oyen Field in Dubuque was the site of Northwestern's last conference game as well, an 18-10 loss to the Spartans in the 2023 MLC Semifinals. The Eagles knew Dubuque would be a tough test, as the Spartans average nearly 13 goals per game thus far in 2024. Unfortunately for UNW, Saturday's contest produced similar results as the 2023 matchup, with Dubuque claiming a 16-6 victory.
The Spartans raced out to a big lead, scoring the game's first six goals before
Austin Lemke (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Saint Croix Lutheran Academy) got Northwestern on the board with 5:46 left in the opening quarter. UNW kept the momentum when
Khoa Vu (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee) found
Christian Mitchell (Oak Grove, Minn./PACT Charter School) for a goal just 32 seconds after Lemke's to trim the deficit to 6-2. Dubuque would tack on a goal with 21 seconds left in the first, but
Ryan Adkins (St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville) took the ensuing faceoff and rattled the cage to make the score 7-3 after one.
For those who love goals, the second period was not for you. Just two goals were scored in the period—both by the home team—and the Spartans took a 9-3 lead into the half. The third period opened up with three more Dubuque goals as UD took a commanding, 12-3 lead. Lemke scored his second of the day off an assist from
Sam Moses (Wausau, Wis./Wausau East) to pull the Eagles within eight, but the Spartans answered back to take a 13-4 lead into the final period.
Dubuque scored the first goal of the fourth quarter to make its lead double digits for the first time, but Adkins won the ensuing faceoff and found Vu for a goal just nine seconds later to get UNW back within single digits. The teams continued to trade goals as UD scored with 9:33 left, then Vu scored his second via a Lemke assist at the 8:25 mark. Dubuque wrapped up the scoring with a goal with 3:59 remaining, giving the home team a 16-6 win to open conference play. UNW fell to 3-4 overall and 0-1 in the MLC.
Lemke and Vu each scored two goals and dished out an assist, with the latter adding a par of ground balls as well. Adkins was stellar, per usual, finishing with one goal, one assist, 14 ground balls and 17 of 26 faceoffs won. Mitchell also added a goal while Moses logged an assist.
Jakob Montesi (Evergreen, Colo./Evergreen) was terrific on the defensive end, collecting five ground balls and causing a team-high four turnovers.
Jared Schultz (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) caused four turnovers of his own, while
Eli Olmscheid (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) snagged two ground balls and caused a turnover.
Robert McHenry (Crystal, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) made 14 saves in cage.
The Eagles will be back home next Saturday, April 6
th, for a conference game with 9-1 Lake Forest College. Faceoff on what looks to be a beautiful day is scheduled for 1:00 PM at Reynolds Field.
