The Pioneer men’s lacrosse team hosted a group of lacrosse professionals representing the Denver Outlaws on Saturday, winning the back-and-forth contest 11-10.
The game followed the annual alumni game, which featured former DU graduates ranging from the class of 1965 to the class of 2012. The graduates were spread equally amongst the two teams. The Gold team defeated the Crimson team, 10-9.
“Our guys love the opportunity to compete,” said Outlaws general manager Tony Seaman. “With many Pioneer alumni on our roster, it is an especially unique opportunity for them to go against their former coach and teammates.”
After falling behind the Outlaws 2-0 early in the first quarter, the Pioneers battled back to even the score 2-2 on a goal by freshman attackman Gordie Koerber. The trend of falling behind two, only to rally back to a tie moments later, was one the Pioneers would continue for the rest of the first half.
Koerber, who was ranked recognized as one of Lacrosse Magazine’s “Freshman 15: College Rookies to Watch” list, put together a statistically impressive first half, recording four goals, three in the second quarter alone. Wearing number 22, the freshman appeared ready to attempt to fill the large shoes vacated by former number 22 and 2012 graduate Mark Matthews, who now plays for the Outlaws.
“For the whole fall to end on this note, I feel pretty good about it,” said head coach Bill Tierney. “Gordie is a talented young man; he has played in a lot of big lacrosse games, and he has moved into his role a little quicker than we thought he would.”
Matthews kicked off the scoring for the Outlaws in the first quarter, shaking a defender and driving home the shot from close range. Alex Demopoulos, another DU graduate, also recorded a goal and two assists in the first half.
At half, the Pioneers brought the game to a 6-6 draw.
With just over a minute and a half having elapsed in the third quarter, senior midfielder Chase Carraro drove home a shot to give the Pioneers their first lead of the exhibition. DU would maintain their one-goal lead throughout the quarter, starting the fourth with a 9-8 lead.
Behind Koerber’s fifth goal and solid goalkeeping from sophomore goalie Ryan LaPlante, who recorded 17 saves, the Pioneers were able to overcome being outshot 46-37. Also contributing goals were sophomore midfielders Wes Berg and Tyler Ekeroth, senior midfielder Taylor Young, freshman midfielder Walt Rooney and freshman attackman Tom Moore.
“It’s awesome; I have a lot of great players around me,” said Koerber. “They’re really the ones who are getting those opportunities for me.”
While the win does not count towards the Pioneers’ season record, both Koerber and Tierney stressed the importance of building chemistry during the fall season.
“You always talk about fall ball and say your record is still zero and zero when it’s over, and it really doesn’t matter,” said Tierney. “But I think as far as helping to grow chemistry of the team, we found out a lot today about our guys playing against a bunch of great athletes.”
