Grand Canyon University Athletics
GCU Takes Down Arizona State to Claim SLC Lacrosse Crown
5/3/2015 5:51:00 PM | General
The Grand Canyon lacrosse team captured the Southwest Lacrosse Conference title this afternoon with a thrilling 14-13 win over Arizona State at Chapman Stadium in Orange, Calif.
The victory gives GCU the automatic berth into the MCLA National Tournament that will be contested from May 11-16 in both Irvine and Orange, Calif. The Antelopes, ranked No. 1 in the nation, will carry a 12-1 record into the nationals and will most certainly earn the top seed in the 16-team tourney.
Today's game was a back-and-forth affair between the city rivals that could well see another chapter played out next week at the nationals. GCU came out firing, opening a 4-0 lead. ASU would answer back with five goals of its own to take a one-goal lead into the second quarter.
ASU owned a 9-7 lead at the half and 13-12 advantage after the third quarter, heading into the decisive fourth.
The Antelope defense then shut down the Sun Devil offense in the fourth and goals by Austin Ekeroth and Drew Dziadyk sealed the title for GCU. Dziadyk led the Lopes with five goals and an assist. Tyler Ekeroth tallied three goals.
"Lacrosse is like basketball in that it's a game of runs," said head coach Manny Rapkin. "Our guys understand that and maintained discipline through the whole second half. I'm so proud of the guys in the way they adapted. ASU threw a lot of different stuff at us and we worked through it together as a team. This was really a huge step up for us in the way we manage the game."
The Antelopes are in their fourth season of MCLA play, moving to D-I at the conclusion of the 2012 season. The MCLA serves a national organization of non-NCAA, college lacrosse programs. The MCLA currently operates in the US and Canada with 200-plus teams in two divisions, across ten conferences. The squad under Rapkin has amassed a 45-13 overall mark over the four seasons, also winning the SLC D-II crown in 2012.
The tournament brackets will be released next week. Go to the MCLA website for the bracket, conference standings and complete statistics.
The victory gives GCU the automatic berth into the MCLA National Tournament that will be contested from May 11-16 in both Irvine and Orange, Calif. The Antelopes, ranked No. 1 in the nation, will carry a 12-1 record into the nationals and will most certainly earn the top seed in the 16-team tourney.
Today's game was a back-and-forth affair between the city rivals that could well see another chapter played out next week at the nationals. GCU came out firing, opening a 4-0 lead. ASU would answer back with five goals of its own to take a one-goal lead into the second quarter.
ASU owned a 9-7 lead at the half and 13-12 advantage after the third quarter, heading into the decisive fourth.
The Antelope defense then shut down the Sun Devil offense in the fourth and goals by Austin Ekeroth and Drew Dziadyk sealed the title for GCU. Dziadyk led the Lopes with five goals and an assist. Tyler Ekeroth tallied three goals.
"Lacrosse is like basketball in that it's a game of runs," said head coach Manny Rapkin. "Our guys understand that and maintained discipline through the whole second half. I'm so proud of the guys in the way they adapted. ASU threw a lot of different stuff at us and we worked through it together as a team. This was really a huge step up for us in the way we manage the game."
The Antelopes are in their fourth season of MCLA play, moving to D-I at the conclusion of the 2012 season. The MCLA serves a national organization of non-NCAA, college lacrosse programs. The MCLA currently operates in the US and Canada with 200-plus teams in two divisions, across ten conferences. The squad under Rapkin has amassed a 45-13 overall mark over the four seasons, also winning the SLC D-II crown in 2012.
The tournament brackets will be released next week. Go to the MCLA website for the bracket, conference standings and complete statistics.
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