No. 1 Michigan Edges No. 4 Arizona State for MCLA Crown

Denver, Colo. - The #1 ranked University of Michigan men's lacrosse team captured their third-straight MCLA National Championship on Saturday night (May 15) in dramatic style, winning 12-11 over #3 seed Arizona State in Denver, Colorado at Dick's Sporting Good Park in a back-and-forth contest.

Leading by three goals with just over five minutes left in the match, the Maize and Blue held off a late rally from the Sun Devils en-route to the title victory. With the championship victory, Michigan is the first team in MCLA history to three-peat.

ASU opened the scoring just 46 seconds into the contest on their first possession, but Michigan was able to answer shortly after as senior midfielder Svet Tintchev (Rockville, MD./Bullis) finished a feed from senior attackman Kevin Zorovich (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) to knot things up early on.

Michigan earned their first lead on a rebound goal from junior attackman Trevor Yealy (Pittsburgh, Penn./Upper St. Claire) as the third-year played plucked it out of mid-air and quickly fired for Michigan's first lead of the game at the 12:02 mark of the first.

The Sun Devils evened things up just under a minute later on a low shot from the left wing, before ASU earned the lead at 5:21 on a dunk down low.

Michigan immediately answered with a faceoff win followed by a goal from senior midfielder Jamison Goldberg (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) who took a pass from Zorovich right outside the crease and fired low to tie the game at 3-3 with 5:03 left in the first quarter.

ASU responded at 2:44 on a scramble in front, as junior Mark Stone (Greenwood Village, Colo./Cherry Creek) made back-to-back saves but couldn't stop the third from just outside the crease.

The Wolverines had a great opportunity moments later on a quick-stick try down low from senior attackman Josh Ein (Potomac, MD./Rockville), but the shot hit the ASU netminder in the chest. The Sun Devils increased their lead to two on their next possession on a hard shot from the far left wing.

U-M was able to earn possession right before the quarter-break and after a time-out to set up their offense, Tintchev dodged down the left wing and fired low to cut the ASU lead to 5-4 as the teams entered the second quarter.

After a long Michigan possession, the Wolverines eventually earned a one-minute man-up following a slashing at midfield five minutes into the period. U-M was unable to capitalize but scored quickly after as freshman attackman Thomas Paras (Lakewood, Ohio/St. Ignatius) dodged from behind the cage and shot low to even things at 5-5 a minute later.

After possessions for both teams, Michigan was awarded another one-minute man-up in the ASU zone, but the Maize and Blue couldn't find the back of the net despite three shots.

Michigan scored again shortly after the opportunity as Yealy picked up a rebound off a shot from senior midfielder Anthony Hrusovsky (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest), and fired behind the back as Michigan regained the one-goal lead with their third unanswered goal as Michigan entered the locker room with a one-goal lead.

ASU opened the scoring on their first possession of the second half, but the Wolverines quickly answered on a dodge and fire down the alley from Yealy as U-M led 7-6 early in the third quarter.

U-M increased their lead to 8-6 on a tally from Paras after the first-year player took a feed from senior midfielder David Rogers (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) and fired from just outside the crease.

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2010-05-17