No. 1 and No. 3 Seeds Advance to MLAX Tournament Championship
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - (Tournament Page) - Top-seeded and top-ranked Indiana Tech handled fifth-seeded Lawrence Tech 19-4 while third-seeded Siena Heights upended No. 2 Aquinas 9-8 in the semifinals of the 2022 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Men's Lacrosse Tournament.
Siena Heights now travels to face Indiana Tech in the championship game on April 30 for the league's automatic berth to the NAIA National Championship Tournament.
#1 Indiana Tech (15-0) def. #5 Lawrence Tech (7-8), 19-4
Indiana Tech outshot the Blue Devils 49-22 to build and early lead. The Warriors scored four times in the opening period while holding LTU to a single goal. The second period looked much the same as Indiana Tech put in four more, but Lawrence Tech was able to double its scoring effort. The Warriors expoded in the third period with seven goals and finished out the game with four more in the final period. Lawrence Tech scored once more in the second half.
Stat Leaders
Goals: Andrew Ryan, Josh Bramley 4 (IT); Eli Lozinski, Maveric Muscat, Nick Soukup 1 (LTU)
Assists: Andrew Ryan 4 (IT); Maveric Muscat 2 (LTU)
Ground Balls: Louis Czech, Emmett Coleman 5 (IT); TJ Kaminski 6 (LTU)
Caused Turnovers: Tom Piotrowski 5 (IT); Wyatt Nedbal 3 (LTU)
Saves: Brent Mattews 10 (LTU); Chad Nedbal 5 (IT)
#3 Siena Heights (10-5) def. #2 Aquinas (10-4), 9-8
The two teams were evenly matched until the third period. Aquinas took a 2-1 lead after the first stanza and Siena Heights matched AQ's two goals in the second. SHU then went on the offensive, scoring four goals in the third while holding Aquinas to one for a 7-5 lead heading into the final quarter. Aquinas' Zachary Sweet scored off an assist from Joey Fitzgerald in the early mintues, but Ryan Moore answered for SHU to maintain a two-goal lead. Aquinas scored back-to-back goals during a two-minute period to tie the game at 8. Jake Gallaher then set up Eric Csizmadia for SHU's game-winning score.
Stat Leaders
Goals: Mitch Haggart 3 (AQ); Devin Plemmons, Ryan Moore 2 (SHU)
Assists: Jake Gallaher 2 (SHU); several 1 (AQ)
Ground Balls: Fernando Robison 14 (SHU); Gabe Schmader, Mitch Haggart 5 (AQ)
Caused Turnovers: Kevin LaHaie 4 (AQ); Jake Gallaher 2 (SHU)
Saves: Vinnie Jean 25 (SHU); Clayton Boerigter 10 (AQ)
Championship - April 30, 2022
#3 Siena Heights (10-5) at #1 Indiana Tech (15-0), 7 p.m.