The first-round of the 2019 MCLA National Tournament saw the top-team in Division I take down No. 16 LSU 20-8 during opening day.
No. 1 Cal (15-0) d. No. 16 LSU (7-8), 20-8
Showing the type of offensive power that has kept them at No. 1 in the polls for the entire season, top-seeded Cal started out hot against No. 16 LSU and cruised home for a 20-8 victory.
The score was 5-0 after one period and 13-1 at the break in favor of the Golden Bears (15-0). LSU (7-8) showed some spark in the second half, playing to a 7-7 draw in the final 30 minutes.
Both Jake Lombardo and Jake Pistotnik netted five goals apiece while Brendan Cook added a goal and four helpers in the winning effort. Nick Beattie was credited with six saves.
LSU netminder Rob Hinyub turned away 21 shots in the losing effort. Asher Wabrek notched a hat trick for the Tigers.
No. 2 Chapman (16-2) d. No. 15 Minnesota (14-7), 13-6
Parker Halaburda went 17-for-20 at the dot and five Chapman players scored at least two goals, leading the Panthers to a 13-6 victory over Minnesota. Chapman continues its quest to make its fourth-straight visit to the national championship game.
In a rematch of a regular-season matchup won by Chapman by three, the Panthers looked comfortable from the start.
Garrett Stemler led Chapman with three goals and an assist while George McGuirk had two goals and two helpers. Daniel Aguilar was solid in net, making 14 saves.
Amar Batra had a goal and three assists for Minnesota while Jack Courington made nine saves in the cage.
No. 3 South Carolina (18-2) d. No. 14 Santa Clara (8-7), 9-5
In a battle of two of the best goalies in MCLA Division I, South Carolina’s Colin Hains outdueled Santa Clara’s Matt Lencioni to give the
Gamecocks a tight, 9-5, victory. With the win, South Carolina moves on to the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Hains finished with 18 saves with just five goals against (78.3 sv%), allowing South Carolina build a 5-2 lead at halftime and ride it home. Lencioni finished with 12 saves.
Jono Durham was the Gamecocks top gun with five goals while Griffin Giles added two goals and a dime. Brian Buckley had two goals to lead Santa Clara.
No. 4 Georgia Tech (17-1) d. No. 13 Connecticut (7-6), 16-10
Bolstered by five goals from Conrad McEvoy and four others by Devin Raun, Georgia Tech built up an 11-4 halftime lead and fought off a couple of late UConn charges to capture a rematch contest, 16-10. With the win, the Ramblin’ Wreck advance to the quarterfinals.
Playing with an intensity that was lacking in the March 10 meeting, the Tech offense went to work from the jump, outpacing UConn for the first 30 minutes. By the time the Huskies found their bearings, it was too late.
Gino Pagliaro made 12 saves in the winning effort while Matthew Krecicki tacked on a pair of goals.
Truman Imbo tallied four goals in the loss while Drew Duarte was credited with 11 saves.
Stay tuned for more 2019 MCLA National Tournament coverage.
