DEARBORN, Mich. -- The University of Michigan-Dearborn men's lacrosse team put together a strong effort in front of their home crowd on during their fourth annual 15 for Life game on Wednesday (Apr. 16) evening. However, a fourth-quarter push by Taylor University sealed a 15-11 final in the conference opener at Fieldhouse Stadium.
The Wolverines came out firing in the first quarter, building momentum early behind a high-powered offensive display from freshman Reece Rath, who tallied three of his game-high seven goals in the opening frame. UM-Dearborn took a 5-3 lead into the second quarter, showcasing strong ball movement and aggressive play on both ends of the field.
Rath continued to shine throughout the game, consistently finding space and finishing with precision. At the same time, Gabriel De La Paz and Garrett Kern added key goals to keep the Wolverines within striking distance heading into halftime, tied 7-7.
Defensively, the Wolverines battled hard with solid contributions from goalie Owen Reed, who recorded 13 saves, and Nick Acosta, who forced multiple turnovers and brought energy in transition.
Despite the tight first half, Taylor responded with a strong third quarter, taking advantage of timely possessions and converting on crucial opportunities. The Wolverines added just one goal in the third while Taylor pulled ahead with four scores.
In the final frame, UM-Dearborn continued to fight, with goals from Rath, Ryan Savage, and De La Paz narrowing the gap, but Taylor's attack proved too much down the stretch as they added four more goals to secure the win.
While the Wolverines' result wasn't in their favor, the team showed grit and flashes of high-level play throughout the night, giving them plenty to build on as they continue their conference slate.
UM-Dearborn falls to 4-10 overall and 0-6 in WHAC play. The Wolverines will look to bounce back in their next matchup as they continue the hunt for a strong finish to the season.
