May 2, 2009

Hope Box Score  Dayton Box Score

SALINE, Mich. - In their first ever appearance in the CCLA D2 Tournament, the Panthers Men's Lax team gave #1 Dayton all they could ask for as they fell 14-10 in the championship game. DU defeated Hope 20-17 earlier in the day to reach the final game.

Davenport's Men's Lax team finished up their regular season last weekend with a huge win over #1 St. John's and they carried that momentum with them into the CCLA Tournament as the #2 overall seed behind MCLA #1 Dayton.

DU took on Hope in the semifinals after the Flying Dutchmen took out Oakland the previous day in quarterinal action. The Panthers had scrimmaged Hope earlier but the second time around was much different as DU squeeked out the 20-17 win setting up a championship game with Dayton who downed GVSU in the other semifinal.

The championship game was played before a great crowd with each team coming out strong but it was the Flyers who had the final answer as they held off the Panthers in the second half for the 14-10 win.

Davenport got off to an awesome start as they scored the games' first three goals as Dylan Gilbert and Jordan Richtsmeier (2) put DU up 3-0 less than 1:17 into the first. The Flyers struck back though with four straight goals of their own before Gilbert added his second to tie the game at 4-4.

Dayton added two more goals at the end of the first and then started the second with a goal for a lead they would never let up as they went into halftime leading 11-6. DU did score the first two goals of the second half but that would be as close as they would get as Dayton claimed the title.

Dylant Gilbert ended the game with four goals as Justin Scott took only his second loss of the year in goal.

Dayton earns the automatic berth to the MCLA D2 National Tournament for the CCLA and DU, who is now 13-3 on the year, will await to see if they gain an at-large bid early next week.