ADRIAN, Mich. – A victory on Saturday (Apr. 20) would help the University of Michigan-Dearborn lacrosse team secure their highest finish in the WHAC regular season standings since the 2018 season. A victory is precisely what they got as the Wolverines secured a crucial 10-8 road win over the Siena Heights Saints.

Both teams traded goals for most of the first quarter. After a Jeremy Fancett goal on the man advantage at the 6:33 mark, Fancett gave the Wolverines a 3-2 lead after linking up with Mason Loudermilk with 3:45 to play in the quarter. SHU responded by making it 3-3 after the opening stanza. 

Only two goals were scored in the second quarter, one by each team. Nolan Kelley scored off the Quest Bigelow assist, and the Wolverines went into the break tied at four. The Wolverines were looking to pull away from the Saints to start the third as they opened the quarter with two goals in quick succession. On the man advantage, Kelley scored his second of the game. 1:14 later, Quest Bigelow tallied his second point of the day on an unassisted goal to make it 6-4. However, the Saints would again respond with two unanswered goals to tie the game at six. 

In the final three minutes, UM-Dearborn's offense would find a new gear scoring two crucial goals from Joseph Atherall and Nolan Kelley to head to the fourth quarter up 8-6. SHU answered with two goals to tie the game midway through the fourth. The Wolverines would need their senior leadership to shine through in the final eight minutes to put away the Saints. After a Nolan Kelley goal with 8:15 to go, the captain, Atherall, would put the nail in the coffin as Kelley found Atherall behind the net, and a swift move allowed Atherall all the space he needed to score the games final goal and gave the Wolverines a 10-8 victory.