GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The men's lacrosse team finally came home to the turf this weekend for their first two home games of the season. The Panthers were coming off a tough loss against Grand Valley State on Thursday night, and wanted to get back on the winning track against fellow CLC opponent Pittsburgh, followed by a meeting with D2 Minnesota-Duluth the following afternoon.
 
Saturday, March 30
Final Score: Davenport 18 – Pittsburgh 10
Records: DU (3-5, 3-0), Pitt (5-5, 1-2)
Location: DU Turf Field (Grand Rapids, MI)
 
A GOOD START
 
Similar to the start they had on Saturday, Davenport started out strong in the first quarter against Pitt. Just 45 seconds into the contest, Max Bush made a nice move to the front of the net, and ripped home his sixth goal of the season to put the Panthers out in front. Four minutes later, Addison Buckius found Blake McDonald wide open in front of the Pittsburgh net, and the Six Nations, Ontario native scored to put DU up by two.
 
A handful of minutes later, Pitt would strike back. After a missed chance at one by Davenport led to Pitt's Brian McCaffrey taking the ball, and launching a pass from his own end all the way to Michael Stephenson, who was wide-open in front of the Davenport net, and buried the ball into the back of the net to cut the DU's lead in half. However, that was all Davenport would give up in the first quarter, as Ben Stoklas made some good-looking saves to hold Pittsburgh at bay. Goals from Jake Wilson and Josh Jubenville put the Panthers up by three heading into the second quarter.
 
CUE THE HIGHLIGHT REEL
 
Just under a minute into the second quarter, Pitt's Bennett Nakao scored to cut the Panthers' lead to two. Chances were had at both ends, with Davenport garnering some of the better scoring opportunities. After Jubenville took an initial shot, and fell down the ball laid in front of the Pitt crease. Sticks and legs tried to move the ball, and somehow Jubenville scooped the ball, threw it behind his head and in the net for his second of the game to make it a 5-2 lead for DU.
 
TRADING TALLIES
 
Just a couple of minutes later, Cole Burden would bring Pittsburgh back within two, but McDonald's second goal of the game only a minute later restored Davenport's three-goal lead. After McDonald completed his hat trick with a little over five minutes to play in the quarter, Pitt's Dan Wasson fired home his seventh of the season to make it a 7-4 game with only a few minutes to play in the half.
 
THE BIG GUNS COMING TOGETHER
 
Jubenville and McDonald hooked up twice before the first half ended. First, McDonald fed Jubenville a nice pass to help the Windsor, Ontairo native complete his hat trick. Under a minute later, Jubenville returned the favor, as he set up McDonald for his fourth of the game to send Davenport into the break with a five-goal lead.
 
FEELING FRESH
 
Despite the comfortable lead, Davenport did not let off the gas at the beginning of the second half. Right off the opening face-off, Connor Foster knocked the ball into Pitt territory. Jubenville picked up the loose ball and fired a pass to Stephen Ochsenkehl, who scored just 14 seconds into the third quarter to extend the DU lead to six. The freshman was not done there, as 34 seconds later, Ochsenkehl scored again to make it an 11-4 score. Ochsenkehl then helped fellow freshman David Mendoza for his fourth goal of the season. After Jubenville scored at the 4:30 mark of the quarter, DU won the face-off, and Jake Hodges passed the ball right to Ochsenkehl who buried the easy shot to get the hat trick in just 4:40.
 
MAKING IT INTERESTING
 
The fourth quarter started a little slower compared to the rest of the game, but DU would strike first as Wilson potted his second of the game to make it a ten-goal margin.
 
However, Pittsburgh would find a way to break a Davenport defense that had been solid all game. First, Pitt's leading-scorer Dash scored his second of the game with over five-and-a-half minutes to play. 38 seconds later, David McVey scored to make it an eight-goal game. In the next 49 seconds, goals from Burden and Nakao cut Davenport's lead down to six.
 
SETTLING DOWN
 
Head Coach Chris Esquivel took a much needed time out. "We just had to refocus," Esquivel stated postgame. "With such a young team and with six minutes left, and we're up ten, kind of felt like they had it the bag. We just couldn't keep our foot on the gas. We just wanted to collect ourselves, refocus, and I think the team had a great response the rest of the game."
 
The response was seen loud and clear, following another pretty goal from Jubenville and Ochsenkehl's fourth goal of the game, DU won the battle of the Panthers by a final score of 18-10.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
 
Jubenville led the team with nine points on the afternoon. McDonald chimed with five points, giving him a team-leading 37 points this season. Ochsenkehl ended the game with five points, Wilson had four, and Addison Buckius produced three assists.
 
WHO'S NEXT?
 
Davenport is right back at it on Sunday, as they are set to take on the #2 team in MCLA Division II, Minnesota-Duluth. The Bulldogs are 6-0, but have not played since March 17. They will be playing a double-header on Sunday, as they play Dayton in Allendale at 7 a.m. before making the drive over to DU. The two teams have not met since 2016, with Davenport winning two of the three meetings against the Bulldogs. Face-off will be at the turf at 3 p.m.