Lacrosse: Falcons come up short against Denver, 11-9

  • Published
  • By Melissa McKeown
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director
DENVER (AFNEWS) --  Despite holding a four-goal lead in the first half, the Air Force lacrosse team could not hold off a late Denver rally, falling to the Pioneers, 11-9, April 28 at Barton Lacrosse Stadium. The Falcons fall to 2-9 on the season, 1-4 in the Great Western Lacrosse League, while the Pioneers improve to 8-7 overall, 3-2 in the GWLL.

The Falcons scored the only goal of the opening period, getting on the board with a goal from senior Justin Kuchta, a native of Ridgefield, Conn. Although Denver tied the game at 1-1 early in the second period, Air Force closed out the half with three straight goals, including a pair from senior Michael Weber, from Wantagh, N.Y.

The third period opened with a score from the Pioneers, but Air Force scored two more to increase its lead to 6-2. However, Denver outscored the Falcons 5-1 over the remainder of the period to tie the game at 7-7 going into the final period.

An unassisted score from sophomore Griffin Nevitt, from Charlotte, N.C., put Air Force back on top with 12:34 to play in the fourth quarter.  But less than two minutes later, Denver again tied it up. A quick goal by junior Kevin Crumrine, from Edgewater, Md., put the Falcons up 9-8 and the game remained scoreless for the next seven minutes. 

The Pioneers managed three goals in the final three minutes of the contest, including an empty-net score with just three seconds remaining to grab the come-from-behind victory.

Denver native Will Meister, who scored two goals and had two assists, and Nevitt, who had one goal and three assists, led the Falcons with four points each in the contest. 

Weber, who added an assist to his two goals, scored a career-high three points in the contest. Also scoring goals for the Falcons were senior Kyle O'Neill, from Portsmouth, R.I., notching his first career goal, and sophomore Eric Evans, from Ellicott City, Md. Dan Gnazzo, a sophomore from Eden Prairie, Minn., added his first career assist.

Ilija Gajic paced the Pioneers with two goals and two assists in the contest, while Jon Paulson added two goals, including the game-winner, and an assist.

The Falcons end the season May 6 against second-ranked Duke at Durham, N.C.

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