Men's Lacrosse Drops to Dubuque in Overtime

DUBUQUE, Iowa – The Concordia University Wisconsin men's lacrosse team faced another challenging opponent in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) as they traveled to take on the Dubuque Spartans.

In a hard-fought contest, the Falcons went into overtime for the second consecutive game. Unfortunately, this time, they were unable to secure the win, falling 15-14 to move to 3-3 in NACC play.

The first quarter saw the Spartans take a 2-1 lead. CUW struck early with junior Preston Meier (Owatonna, Minn.) scoring just 40 seconds into the game. However, Dubuque answered with two unanswered goals to end the period on top.

The second quarter brought an offensive surge for both teams, with the Falcons outscoring the Spartans 7-5. This offensive outburst gave CUW an 8-7 lead at halftime.

Sophomore Bryce Petersen (Waukesha, Wis.) got the scoring started for the Falcons, converting a man-up opportunity. Later, the Falcons scored twice within 37 seconds to tie the game at 3-3. Petersen scored the first goal, followed shortly by Meier's second goal of the game. Assists came from seniors Caleb Ruger (Grafton, Wis.) and Max Esposito (Gaithersburg, Md.).

The Falcons continued their momentum, extending their lead to 8-4 with just under four minutes remaining in the second quarter. Goals from Petersen, Esposito, senior Gio Nowotarski (Reading, Pa.), and freshman Jackson Knutson (Roseville, Minn.) highlighted this 4-1 run. However, the Spartans responded strongly, scoring three unanswered goals to close out the quarter, leaving the score at 8-7 in favor of CUW at halftime.

Coming out of the break, the Falcons struck first as Esposito scored just 37 seconds into the third quarter, with sophomore Tyler Husby (Eagan, Minn.) providing the assist. CUW extended its lead to 10-8 when junior Connor Quill (Schaumburg, Ill.) found Petersen for a goal with 4:29 remaining in the third. Then, with 3:12 to go, Nowotarski assisted Petersen's fourth goal of the day, giving the Falcons an 11-8 advantage.

The Falcons were not finished yet, as Ruger scored back-to-back goals in the final minute of the third quarter, extending CUW's lead to 13-9 heading into the fourth. Ruger's goals came 46 seconds apart, one at the 46-second mark and the other with just 14 seconds remaining in the quarter.

However, Dubuque found their rhythm in the fourth, outscoring CUW 5-1. The Spartans managed to tie the game with just 10 seconds remaining, forcing overtime.

In overtime, Dubuque won the opening faceoff and immediately called a timeout. Following the timeout, the Spartans found the back of the net to secure a 15-14 victory.

For CUW, Bryce Petersen led the offense with four goals, while Caleb Ruger contributed three goals and one assist for a total of four points. Max Esposito led the team with five points, registering two goals and three assists. Gio Nowotarski and Preston Meier each added two goals and one assist.

Sophomore Jaxon Hill (Bismarck, N.D.) was dominant on faceoffs, winning 13-of-21 and scooping up a team-high 11 ground balls. On defense, senior John Frangella (Chicago, Ill.) recorded two caused turnovers, while sophomore Travis Marquardt (Brookfield, Wis.) made 10 saves in goal.

CUW will have a quick turnaround, as they will play a non-conference matchup against the Carroll Pioneers on Monday.