DEARBORN, Mich. -- The University of Michigan-Dearborn men's lacrosse team could not keep up with a dominant first-half performance by Aquinas (MI), falling 13-8 in their first conference game of the season. Despite a strong rally in the second half, Michigan-Dearborn couldn't recover from a 7-1 deficit after the first quarter, allowing Aquinas to maintain control throughout.
First Half:
Aquinas came out on fire, scoring six goals in the first 12 minutes. Tj Murphy and Carter Braam quickly put the Saints up 2-0, and the floodgates opened as Cade Linnemeyer, Collin Wildman, and Brady Waling extended the lead to 7-1 by the end of the first quarter. Michigan-Dearborn's lone response came from Ryan Savage at the 10:04 mark, but it wasn't enough to slow down the Saints' offensive onslaught.
The second quarter saw a quiet stretch, with both teams struggling to convert. However, Michigan-Dearborn showed signs of life, netting three goals to cut the lead to 7-4. Aidan Meyers and Jeremy Fancett each scored for the Wolverines, and Gabriel De La Paz followed up with an unassisted goal to give the team hope heading into halftime.
Second Half:
Aquinas answered in the third quarter with another flurry of goals, scoring five more times to extend their lead. Oliver Modderman and Collin Wildman found the back of the net early, and Tj Murphy continued his strong play with a goal and an assist, pushing the score to 12-4. Michigan-Dearborn did manage to respond with a goal from Reece Rath at the 1:40 mark, but Aquinas held the upper hand, leading 12-5 going into the final frame.
In the fourth quarter, Michigan-Dearborn fought back, scoring three more goals, including a pair from Ryan Savage and Reece Rath. The Wolverines continued to press, with Jeremy Fancett adding another goal with just over a minute remaining, but it wasn't enough to overcome the sizable deficit. Aquinas sealed the win with Alex Rolands' goal at 10:36, pushing the score to 13-6. Michigan-Dearborn's final goal came late from Fancett to make it 13-8, but Aquinas was never truly threatened in the final minutes.
