The Utah men’s lacrosse team entered Saturday’s matchup with the Marquette Golden Eagles looking to snap their longest losing streak since the program’s inaugural season in 2019. The Utes started off hot, taking a 4-1 lead into the second quarter, but Marquette continually found answers, mounting multiple runs throughout the game, including a 3-goal burst late in the fourth quarter to erase the Utah lead.
With 0:35 seconds remaining in the game, a Ryan Stines goal tied the game up at 11, but the Golden Eagles offensive attack proved to be too much for the Utah defense as a golden goal just over a minute into overtime handed Marquette their first win against Utah in program history, 12-11.
First Half
The first quarter was all Utah as an early 4-1 lead headlined by goals from Stines, Luc Charbonnier, Jake Likes and Will Overly helped pace the Utes offensive attack throughout the first 15 minutes of action.
Utah stayed hot to start the second quarter as Chase Robertson found the back of the net to give the Utes a commanding 5-2 lead with just 7:39 to go in the half. Unfortunately for Utah, the Golden Eagles would not go away without a fight as a four-goal burst gave Marquette a 6-5 lead late in the second quarter. As the Utes tried to stop the bleeding, Cody Hart ripped the back of the net for his first goal of the game to tie it up at six goals apiece heading into halftime.
Second Half
Both teams exchanged goals to start off the second half as Cade Faulkner and Zachary White got into the scoring action to keep the game knotted at 8 as the fourth quarter got underway.
Back-to-back goals by Robertson to start the fourth quarter gave Utah a 10-8 lead with just 11:38 left in the game, but Marquette continued to expose the Utah defense, tying the game back up and eventually taking an 11-10 lead at the 4:41 mark of the final quarter of action.
Stines, who had not scored since the first goal of the game, took matters into his own hands down the stretch, ripping a shot from the left side of the field to tie the game back up at 11 with just 0:25 left in regulation and sending this one to overtime.
Marquette dominated on faceoffs all game, and that continued in overtime as the Golden Eagles possessed the ball first, taking a timeout to set up an offensive play with the hopes of not allowing Utah to gain possession of the ball. As Marquette continued to look for the best shot, a goal from Marquette’s all-time leading goal scorer, Bobby O’Grady, found the back of the net to give the Golden Eagles the golden goal and a monumental win for their program.
What’s Next for the Utes?
Utah will continue the search for their first win since February first next weekend when they head back on the road to take on the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. MST.
