Club lacrosse loses to Michigan State

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Six consecutive Michigan State goals in the second quarter were too much for the CMU club lacrosse team to overcome.

It lost 16-8 Saturday at the Indoor Athletic Complex in its bid to beat No. 11 MSU for the first time in program history.

“We can’t get to the ground balls,” said coach Brad Thomas. “They’re beating us to them and turning them into goals.”

MSU scored less than three minutes into the game before its second-quarter scoring.

Late in the second, CMU finally got on the board with an extra-man goal scored by junior attacker Justin Schaufler, assisted by sophomore attacker Jeff Wood. MSU scored with few seconds remaining to make it 9-1 at halftime.

Thomas, who cited communication problems, said he was not pleased with his team’s defensive effort after giving up seven goals in the second quarter.

BETTER HALF

But in the second half, CMU, in its final home game of the season, got its offense going, showing it could play with its ranked opponent.

“It was an unbelievable second half, completely 180 from the first half,” Thomas said. “We got after the ground balls, we were more physical and hustled all over the field.”

With 12:28 remaining in the third quarter, Schaulfer made it 9-2, getting a pass down low from senior midfielder Darren Rivard and scoring.

Nearly six minutes later, Wood made it 9-3 with sophomore midfielder Nick Culp getting the assist.

CMU rode the momentum into the fourth quarter, when Wood made it 9-4 at
17 seconds in.

After MSU scored two goals of its own, junior midfielder Cameron Aubry and Wood combined to score two goals in 10 seconds to cut the lead to 11-6.

But with the score 12-7, MSU scored four consecutive to separate itself from CMU.
MSU coach Dwayne Hicks said one key aspect was vital to his team’s success.

“We were able to control the ball and keep it out of their offensive hands,” he said.
Wood led CMU with four goals and two assists.

CMU plays No. 1 Michigan Saturday in Ann Arbor.