Pride come out on top over Spires 9-6

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. – Getting to enjoy their first taste of victory on the season, the Clarke University men's lacrosse team defeated the University of Saint Mary 9-6 on Tuesday evening giving Head Coach Tucker La Belle his first career win.

Senior attacker Conner Cole led the way offensively scoring four goals on 14 shots and getting a pair of helpers. Fellow senior Alec Kolander and junior Justyse White found the back of the net twice as Kolander scored the game-winner to put Clarke up 7-6 with 9:38 left to play in the game.

Patrick Jones started the scoring for Saint Mary less than two minutes into the game, but Cole and the Pride attack would quickly answer as he would be responsible for all three first quarter goals, including assisting on Nick Lindsay's third goal of the season giving CU a 3-2 lead.

The back-and-forth game continued as Garrett Carter would score his second goal of the game early in the second quarter to tie the game and quickly took the lead on Cody O'Connell's first of two goals on the night. The Pride would score the next three goals going into the third quarter before going into the fourth with just a one goal lead at 6-5.

Saint Mary would run out of gas in the fourth quarter and the Pride would score three more times to finish out the game with a 9-6 win.

Also earning his first career win, freshman goalkeeper Jack Fritz saw 13 shots and made seven saves.

In goal for Saint Mary and playing all 60 minutes, Landry Murley made 11 saves as the Pride outshot the Spires 45-37.

Up next for Pride men's lacrosse is a game this Friday, March 17th at 3:00 pm CST against Concordia-Chicago.