Another year and another NAIA Lacrosse National Championship is in the books. This year originally appeared to be different that others due to the level of competitiveness coming out of the AAC and the KCAC. St. Ambrose was on a tear all year, Reinhardt lost a rare early season matchup, and Indiana Tech was having their way with everyone they played. Teams like Tennessee Wesleyan and Benedictine also had a dog in the fight as both teams proved they could hang with the big dogs this season.

Reinhardt refused to listen to any of the noise and walked away with the NAIA Lacrosse National Championship for a fifth straight season.

Let’s breakdown every game from the NAIA Men’s Lacrosse National Championship Tournament to a get a better idea of how Reinhardt was able to secure another ring.

QUARTERFINALS

#1 Indiana Tech (20) – #8 Benedictine (14)

If you read my previous article, I highlighted Andrew Ryan as the No.1 player to watch out for in this matchup and he lived up to the billing. He didn’t waste any time and scored twice in a 39 second span in the first quarter to give the Warriors at 2-0 lead. The Ravens added a goal shortly after, but then both teams would exchange three goal runs to end the first period at a score of 5-4.

In the second quarter, the IT offense seemingly couldn’t be stopped as they scored eight goals in the period as the Ravens could only muster a pair of goals. After the half, Benedictine came out like a team that knew they were going home if they lost. James Carson and Jordan Rodriguez added two goals each as Benedictine would outscore them 5-1 and cut the lead to 11-14 going into the final period.

Unfortunately, that was all the momentum the Ravens could muster and a IT 4-0 run at the start of the fourth would put the game out of reach for an eventual 20-14 game. Andrew Ryan finished with six goals and a career best four assists on the day. Eleven different warriors scored in the contest and five players had two or more goals. 

#2 Reinhardt (16) – #7 Keiser (6)

Back in March, in a double overtime thriller, Keiser handed Reinhardt their first loss in years. Three weeks ago, the two teams met again in the AAC tournament where they kept the game close, but a strong second half for the Eagles gave them the win. In their third matchup of the year, we were hoping for another instant classic and early on it looked like we might have one. Keiser was the first to strike with two goals in the first ten minutes.

However, over the final five minutes of the quarter, Reinhardt would go on a quick 3-0 run to take the lead. In the second quarter, Cameron Cochran would add one just over a minute in which was soon matched by Cole Stassi. Again, Reinhardt would end the quarter on a 3-0 run to give them a 7-3 halftime lead. That was about as this game would come however, as Keiser couldn’t keep up with the Eagles prominent offense in the second half and the final would eventually come to 16-6. Cameron Cochran was the top scorer, pouring in four goals as well as adding an assist while Dillan Bousquet added two goals and 4 Assists.

#3 St. Ambrose (5) – #6 Aquinas (10) 

These two teams were very familiar with each other, having met back on March 21, in a game that ended with a Fighting Bees victory in a back and forth, high scoring affair. The second go around couldn’t have been more different in every aspect. Instead, both defenses and goalies stepped up in this one, especially Aquinas. Not sure if it was the travel, the heat, or just the upped tempo from the Saints, but the Bees’ offense had no life and could only muster a single goal in the entire first half.

In the first half, Mitch Haggart did what he does best, score. He did it three times including a goal two seconds before the half ended coming off a full field Gilman assist from one of his defensemen. In the second half, St. Ambrose still couldn’t get much going thanks to the stifling Aquinas defense and Clayton Boerigter. Boerigter couldn’t have played much better in cage making 21 total saves and only allowing five goals. 

#4 Cumberlands (8) – #5 Tennessee Wesleyan (7)

Another AAC Tournament rematch showed us an interesting result. In this one, Thomas Fogarty came out as a man on a mission and scored three of the team’s four goals in the first quarter. Jackson Lollis and Jaylan Steen would each add one a piece to keep at it 4-2 after one. After the initial flurry of scoring, both defenses settled in for the rest of the game and kept this one low scoring. Christian Vanover was the only player to score in the second quarter, adding one on a man-up goal just over 30 seconds in, and adding one another in the final two minutes of the half. Astoundingly, TWU got off 19 shots in the second but were held scoreless.

Less than a minute into the second half, Thomas Fogarty put one in unassisted. The five goal lead seemed like it would be insurmountable based on how the teams had been playing at that point. However, Austin Hall and the TWU defense stepped up to an elite level while the offense did everything they could to come back. At the start of the fourth quarter, Kyle Gasior would score his second of the game bring the Patriot lead down to one. Fogarty would score on a feed from Christian Vanover to push the lead back to two with six minutes left. With just over two minutes to go in the game Jackson Lollis would bring the Bulldogs back within one.

Gasior won the ensuing face-off and it looked like TWU still had life. After a Bulldog turnover, Cumberlands would turn the ball back to the Bulldogs on the ensuing clear. The Bulldogs took a timeout and drew up their best look, but it wasn’t good enough to find the back of the net and the Patriots would hold on for the win.

SEMIFINALS

#1 Indiana Tech (11) – #4 Cumberlands (8)

With two of the best teams in the country squaring off, we were in for a show and this one lived up to the hype. Thomas Fogarty coming off his five goal game the day prior stayed hot and got the Patriots on the board first. Through the remainder of the first quarter, the teams would exchange a couple goals and no one cemented themselves ahead of each other. In the second, the Patriots scored back-to-back goals from Fogarty and Dylan Crouch to give themselves a two goal lead briefly. Shortly afterwards, Indiana Tech would net a couple goals themselves to get the score back to even. With just over 20 seconds remaining in the half Devin Macomber capitalized on a great feed from Samuel Bodley to give Indiana Tech a one goal advantage going into the half, but this one was far from over.

In the second half, the Warriors did what they’ve done so well all season and come out hot after the halftime break. Andrew Ryan and Bodley would each score early in the third quarter. Every time Cumberlands would start to gain momentum, it was soon matched by Indiana Tech. They continued to exchange a couple of goals in the fourth but the Patriots couldn’t cut the lead to less than three. Kyle TwoBulls made a couple huge stops on a man-down situation which sealed the win for Tech. 

#2 Reinhardt (14) – #6 Aquinas (4)

After Aquinas upset the No.3 Fighting Bees, they looked to keep up their NAIA Lacrosse National Championship Cinderella run against No.2 Reinhardt. Early on, it looked like they might just do it! After Titus Thind opened up the scoring early on, the rest of the first quarter was dominated by the Saints. Haggart scored twice and Jon Jardis added one of his own to give Aquinas a 3-1 lead after the first 15 minutes. Tyler Wilkinson cut the lead to one but that was again matched shortly afterwards by a goal from AQ’s Kyle Gauthier.

From that point however, something changed. The Reinhardt D couldn’t be penetrated and Liam Wright stepped up in cage with 11 saves. The Eagles would end the game on a 12-0 scoring run including goals from 11 different players. It appeared as though the Saints team ran out of gas in the hot Florida sun. The final score of 14-4 showed just how dominant the Eagles are. 

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

#1 Indiana Tech (5) – #2 Reinhardt (11)

For the fifth time in as many years, the Reinhardt Eagles finished the season winning the NAIA Lacrosse National Championship. Coming into the season, many questioned whether this team was capable of repeating having lost their head coach and many important pieces, but as they’ve shown time after time, it’s a next man up mentality for the Eagles. 

In the 2022 rendition of a NAIA Lacrosse National Championship run, Reinhardt never trailed. JR Sess won the opening face-off and the offense quickly capitalized on a goal from Titus Thind less than a minute into the game. Sess was one of the the main catalysts for the Eagles success, going 17-19 on face-offs, and keeping the ball in his own teams’ sticks away from the lethal IT offense. They added another goal from Cameron Cochran shortly thereafter to take a 2-0 lead. Joe Solin opened the scoring for the Warriors on a dime from Nate Langille about halfway through the quarter. Reinhardt extended their lead on back-to-back goals, but a man-down goal from Emmett Coleman cut the lead back to two before first quarter ended. 

In the second quarter, neither team could pull away and it looked like the teams were giving us the heavyweight title fight we all expected. Indiana Tech’s Langille cut the lead to one, but again Sess won the ensuing face-off and pushed transition leading to a fast-break goal from Titus Thind. Andrew Ryan would finally enter the conversation on an unassisted goal with just over three minutes to go in the half. With just over a minute to play in the half, a man-up goal from Louis Czech brought us to an even score briefly. Shortly after, Bousquet would add his first of three goals on the day to give the Eagles a one goal lead heading into halftime.

Throughout the season both teams would dial up their play to the next level. It was interesting to see who would do a better job of that in this match-up. It was quickly evident that the answer was clearly Reinhardt, and especially their defense. The Reinhardt D and Liam Wright in net would not allow another goal for the rest of the game. In the third quarter, Bousquet and Thind would each add another to give Reinhardt a 8-5 lead. In the fourth, Bousquet would complete his own Hat Trick and the team would add a couple more for good measure to make the final score 11-5. 

Congrats to the Reinhardt Eagles for their fifth straight NAIA Lacrosse National Championship! 

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The best time of year is finally upon us, the NAIA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament. If you’ve been following along all year, you’re probably more than aware of just how exciting the regular season has been. From the top to the bottom, we have seen some of the best parity the NAIA has ever seen. The NAIA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament reflects that as well, and for the first time in a couple years, there may not be a clear front-runner to win it all. 

In this article, I’ll give you a quick breakdown of how each team in the playoffs got there, who on their team to watch, and how they can win it all, and how they could lose.

1) Indiana Tech 

How They Got Here

(16-0) (9-0 WHAC) (Lost to Saint Ambrose in 1st game of season, but was forfeited by Saint Ambrose later on) Regular Season and WHAC Tournament Champs

Who To Watch

Andrew Ryan – Grad. – A/M – 53 Goals and 28 Assists. Ryan might be the best player in the NAIA this year. He can single handedly take over games and score at will when he needs to. 

Tom Piotrowski – Sr. – D – 59 Caused Turnovers and 71 Groundballs. After the graduation of Jordan Reyes, the Warriors needed someone else to step up to lead the defense and Piotrowski has done just that. 

How They Win It All

Play their game for a full four quarters. Early in the season, IT struggled to get going early on in games, leading to some closer results than they would have liked. Later on in the year, when they come out hot and play a full strong game, they can beat anyone in front of them.

How They Lose

Where the Warriors have been the most inconsistent is in Goal and at FO. If they run into a team with a strong FOGO and a strong Goalie and get outplayed at those two positions, the other team will have a shot. 

2) Reinhardt

How They Got Here

(10-1) (6-1 AAC) Regular Season Co-Champ and AAC Tournament Champs

Who To Watch

Dillan Bousquet – A – Sr. 43 Goals and 26 Assists. If you don’t think Ryan is the best player in the NAIA, its probably because you believe Bousquet holds the title. Bousquet can do it all and shoots absolute laser beams

JR Sess – FO – Jr. – 69.2% FO pct and 83 Groundballs. Part of why the Reinhardt offense scores so many goals is because they constantly have the ball. Sess turns them into a make-it-take-it machine. 

How They Win It All

The 4x defending champs know exactly what it takes to win a championship. Expect them to be ready for the NAIA Lacrosse Tournament atmosphere.

How They Lose

While the Reinhardt Defense is solid, they will secede some goals. If a team can swing the possession battle in their favor by causing turnovers, or beat Reinhardt on Face-offs, they have a shot at taking them down. 

3) Saint Ambrose

How They Got Here

(14-2) (11-1 KCAC) (Defeated Indiana Tech in 1st game of season but later forfeited) Regular Season KCAC Champs, KCAC Tournament Runner-Up

Who To Watch

Michael Shakerin – A – Jr. – 34 Goals and 25 Assists. 2021’s KCAC Offensive Player of the Year won the award outright in 2022. St. Ambrose’s career scoring leader gets their whole offense in motion

Nolan Hayes – G – Jr. – 70.1% Save Pct. The NAIA is full of studs in net, but this year Hayes cemented himself at the top of that list. He led the NAIA in Save Pct. And was Top 5 in in goals against and goals against average. 

How They Win It All

If you’re fan of lacrosse, you’re likely a fan of the PLL and watched the Chaos’ Goalie, Blaze Riorden, single-handedly carry them to a championship. The Fighting Bees can lean on Hayes the same way to carry them to a championship. 

How They Lose

In the KCAC Championship against Benedictine, the Fighting Bees committed 29 Turnovers. It’s hard to win games when you continuously give the ball to the other team. If they have another high turnover output, they’re beatable. 

4) Cumberlands

How They Got Here

(12-4) (5-2 AAC) AAC Tournament Runner-Up

Who To Watch

Dylan Crouch – A – Sr. – 38 Goals and 34 Assists. All three of the Patriots Attackmen are capable of scoring in loads, but Crouch is the best distributor of the group. He gets the offense in motion.

Jake Morgan – D – Jr. – 49 Caused Turnovers and 67 Groundballs. Morgan’s entire career he was a 1st Team All American and that won’t change this year. He’s the best long pole in the country, can guard anyone, take the ball away from anyone, and can push transition on anyone. 

How They Win It All

It’s felt like year after year, Cumberlands is on the verge of making a championship push. This one may just be mental, they have the athletes to compete at every position. They just have to will themselves to win every game from here on out

How They Lose

Cumberlands is prone to giving up some runs. If they give up some big runs and allow other teams to gain momentum, they can lose early. 

5) Tennessee Wesleyan University

How They Got Here

(13-3) (6-2 AAC) AAC Regular Season Co-Champ

Who To Watch

Austin Hall – G – So. –  60.3% Save Pct. The AAC Defensive Player of the Year was the Gamechanger for this Bulldog squad. He’s the main reason the NAIA season’s most surprising team is making their 1st NAIA tournament. 

Kyle Gasior – FO – Sr. – 70.7% Face-off pct and 137 Groundballs. Gasior is dominant at the Face-off X and he’s a major threat winning it to himself and pushing transition. 

How They Win It All

The Bulldogs have a recipe for success: have Gasior dominate face-offs and generate a slow methodical offense with lots of possessions. Hall will need to continue his dominance as well for them to have a shot at winning. 

How They Lose

Losing the possession battle. In games that they’ve lost this year TWU turned the ball over at a higher rate and didn’t have as much success on Face-offs. When they get taken out of their game, they struggle. They need to play their way for success. 

6) Aquinas

How They Got Here

(10-4) (8-1 WHAC) WHAC Regular Season Runner-Up, At Large

Who To Watch

Mitch Haggart – A – Jr. – 52 Goals and 20 Assists. Haggart can flat out score as evidenced by his 52 goals this year. Good luck trying to slow him down.

Kevin Lahaie – M – So. – 21 points, 61 Groundballs. Lahaie is an old-school, do-it-all midfielder for the Saints who can shoot, dodge, take face-off wings, play defense, and push transition. The 1st Team All-WHAC selection will have his fingerprint on their tourney run.

How They Win It All

Aquinas has arguably the best entire attack unit in the NAIA, if they can score in bunches, it will be hard for other teams to keep up with their scoring. Boerigter in net has a tendency to get hot and can lead the team to get hot along with him.

How They Lose

Haggart and Zach Sweet can score in bunches, largely because they shoot in bunches. If they struggle to get shots off or struggle to find the net, they’ll be in big trouble, especially if they run into a hot defense.

7) Keiser

How They Got Here

(8-5) (6-2 AAC) At Large

Who To Watch

Cam Provines – FO – So. – 71.5% FO Pct and 109 Groundballs. Provines might be the best FOGO in the country and is a technician at the Face-off X. He can help Keiser dominate possessions. 

Cole Stassi – A – So. – 21 Goals and 29 Assists. When Stassi scores 3 or more goals, Keiser is 5-0. In games where he scores less than 3, they’re 3-5. Stassi has to get the ball in the net if the Seahawks want to be successful.

How They Win It All

Stassi has stepped his game up in the second half of the year and Keiser has had more success when he’s more successful. Provines at FO and Cole George in goal, are both studs and if they’re hot can carry this team past Reinhardt.

How They Lose

At times this year, the offense has been inconsistent. If they struggle early on in games, they’ll likely struggle the whole game. 

8) Benedictine

How They Got Here

(10-6) (8-2 KCAC) KCAC Tournament Champs

Who To Watch

Brady Guck – A – Sr. – 45 Goals and 26 Assists. Guck is going to have to play at an elite level in order for Benedictine to have a shot. He’s capable of it, in the Ravens upset of St. Ambrose in the KCAC Championship, he scored or assisted 6 of their 10 goals.

Duncan Loud – G – Sr. – 54.6% Save Pct. And 9.38 Goals Against Average. In Benedictine’s run to the KCAC championship, Loud stepped up his game. In his last 3 games, he’s averaging over 20 saves a game and 10 goals against. If he can keep up this high level of play, they can shock the world. 

How They Win It All

Guck and Loud have to step up to carry this team. Knowing that they’re the underdogs in every match-up, Benedictine can play loose and care-free and use that underdog mentality to gain momentum in the NAIA Lacrosse Tournament.

How They Lose

This team isn’t super deep with talent. They need their top end guys to play at an elite level to win. If Loud struggles, this team can give up a lot of goals quickly. They need to play their best team game or they’re out early. 

Now that you’re all caught up, you should be ready for possibly the most exciting NAIA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament we’ve ever seen. Below you’ll find my picks for the bracket. Fill out your own and follow along!

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Over the past couple weeks, we got to see some outstanding matchups in conference championships. In every tournament we got to see upsets and teams get revenge for losses from the regular season. The results of the tournaments have us set up for an exciting NAIA national tournament this upcoming week. Benedictine, Indiana Tech, and Reinhardt are all playing top-notch lacrosse at the right time. Let’s take a look at each of the conference championship games.

#8 Benedictine (10) – #1 St. Ambrose (8) – KCAC Championship

Coming into this matchup, Benedictine found themselves on the bubble of whether or not they would make the NAIA Lacrosse National Playoffs. There were a small handful of teams that also had a case to be made in regards to earning the final spot. However, there was one way for Benedictine to cement themselves into the tournament, upset the No.1 ranked NAIA lacrosse team in the country, St. Ambrose, and that is exactly what they did. For two teams that leaned on strong offenses for most of the year, this game came down to the defenses stepping up. Both teams came out even and exchanged goals back to back throughout most of the first quarter. Michael Hogan added two in the later half of the first to give Benedictine a two goal advantage.

In the second quarter, each team only managed to add one goal a piece to keep the difference at two going into the latter half. Likely 1st-Team All-KCAC and probable All-American, Brady Guck, took over in the second half scoring two goals in the third. At the start of the fourth quarter, a man-up goal by Cole Danner brought the Bees back within two and it looked like a comeback was in store. However, Benedictine was able to match that blow with a few goals of their own and pushed the lead up to four before a couple late St. Ambrose goals made it close. The Ravens can thank Duncan Loud for 16 saves on 24 shots for being the difference in this game. Benedictine has been playing their best lacrosse down the stretch so it will be interesting to see how they do in the tournament.

#6 Reinhardt (15) – #3 Cumberlands (12) – AAC Championship

It is no secret around the NAIA that these two teams don’t like each other and almost always play in an instant classic. When these teams played a few weeks ago, it took a late fourth quarter rally for Reinhardt to squeak out a one goal win. In this matchup, Cumberlands jumped out to an early 4-0 lead and set the stage for another interesting game. That 4-0 run by the Patriots was met by a Reinhardt 3-0 run to close out the first in a one goal game. In the second quarter, Breckin Sharkey pushed the Cumberlands lead to two with just under ten minutes to go in the half. Starting at the 5:57 mark, thanks to Cameron Cochran and Dillan Bousquet, Reinhardt would score six unanswered in just over three minutes of game-time to completely flip the script. A late Dawson Coltran goal would make it a 6-9 game at the half.

In the third quarter the two teams would continue to battle, and Cumberlands cut the deficit to two. In the fourth, Dawson Coltran would add two more goals and bring the Patriots within one with just under eight minutes remaining, setting the stage for another exciting ending in this one. Unfortunately for Cumberlands, that was the end of the fireworks and they couldn’t manage another goal, while Reinhardt would add two more to make the final 15-12. Both teams have made the NAIA playoffs, but on different sides of the bracket.

#2 Indiana Tech (11) – Siena Heights (1) – WHAC Championship

Two days before this game, Siena Heights got revenge on an Aquinas squad that had defeated them just a week prior. The 9-8 final took a second half comeback and an all out effort from everyone on the Saints roster, but it got them a shot at the WHAC title. Unfortunately, the hopes for another upset and a berth in the NAIA tournament was quickly squashed by the dominant Warriors squad. Louis Czech score the opening goal for IT less than a minute into the game and Josh Bradley added another one just a couple minutes later. That would be all that IT would need to win that game, but they added 3 more goals to extend the lead to 5-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Throughout the remainder of the game, the Warriors would slowly extend their lead until at the end of the third quarter they were up 10-0. Jake Gallaher added a man-up goal a few minutes into the fourth for Siena Heights’ lone score for the day. Indiana Tech has not just been good, but dominant throughout the majority of the season. They’re gunning for a National Championship. 

Shortly after the conclusion of the WHAC tournament concluded, the NAIA selection committee got to work to see the NAIA tournament. Take a look at the bracket and get excited for some more high-octane NAIA lacrosse! 

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The AAC and KCAC have both concluded their regular season games and have moved onto their conference tournaments. The results of which should hopefully start to paint a clearer picture of what teams in each conference have a shot at the NAIA playoffs. The WHAC on the other hand, is getting into the thick of its regular season and have a few teams looking to force their way into the playoff conversation. Let’s see how games shook out this past weekend.

Coaches Poll: HERE

William Penn (8) – Columbia (10)

One of the teams that was vying for a spot in the playoffs was William Penn. I used the past tense because after this game, their season is likely over. While it may be disappointing to the Statesmen, it is a good sign of big things to come for a program in just their second full season. Columbia on the other hand may have the opportunity to make their case for a spot in the playoffs. Columbia started the season 2-5, but if they upset Saint Ambrose, they may find a way in. Bryce Peltier in net is playing just as good as any other goalie in the country in the second half of the season. 

#7 Webber (8) – #4 Keiser (9)

After these two teams played a one goal game just six days prior, they found themselves in a very peculiar situation over the weekend. This one however saw the defenses settle in as they had plenty of time to study the scout of the other teams and slow each other down. Webber scored first but Keiser seemed to be in control early and held a one goal advantage at the end of the first half. In the second half the two teams would exchange goals back to back until Houston Finlayson would put the Warriors up by one at the start of the fourth quarter.

However that would be their last goal of the game while Keiser added two more including the game winner from Cole Stassi. Before this contest, both teams were in control of their own destiny, now it appears as though Webber may be on the outside looking in. However, they do hold a strong resume including a wins over Siena Heights and LTU out of the WHAC. That double overtime loss to Aquinas has to sting a little more right now. 

#5 Aquinas (16) – Lourdes (7)

Early in this game, it appeared that this game was going to be a little close for comfort for the Saints. In the first quarter the teams exchanged goals in what felt like every possession and Aquinas scored one more than Lourdes. The second quarter was more of the same. The second half was a different story. The Aquinas defense woke up and Boerigter stood strong in net. Lourdes would only score one more goal the rest of the game. AQ on the other hand, couldn’t seem to miss and poured in nine goals the rest of the game which led to a comfortable 16-7 final score. They were led by a six goal output from Mitch Haggart. This Aquinas team can now look forward to an exciting matchup against Siena Heights for 2nd place in the WHAC. 

Siena Heights (12) – Madonna (9)

Siena Heights always seem to come out of the gates firing. Eric Csizmadia and Jake Gallaher each scored two goals out of the gate, leading SHU to a 5-2 lead in the first quarter. Madonna would try to keep it interesting, but every time they would score, the Saints would have an answer. The Crusaders could never close the gap and would eventually lose 12-9. Siena Heights is one of the hottest teams in the country and looking to carry that momentum into their showdown with Aquinas.

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We’re slowly reaching the end of the NAIA season. Every game and every goal matters just a little bit more at this point as these games feel more and more like playoff games. The AAC conference is in the final week of their regular season and teams are jockeying for seeding in the conference tournament. In the WHAC, we will be seeing a matchup of the two teams that are undefeated in conference.

It’s a big weekend of action in the NAIA, let’s take a look at three games that need to be on your radar.

#4 Keiser vs #7 Webber

Date: Saturday, April 9, 1:00pm

Stream: Webber Website

The biggest question heading into the national NAIA tournament, is how many AAC teams will qualify. With Reinhardt reclaiming the conference crown after their early loss to Keiser, TWU surprising everyone, and Cumberlands being a steady heavyweight, the possibility of a fourth team looms. This game will have a lot to do with who might take a fourth spot. Keiser has done much better in conference, but Webber boasts several strong out of conference wins. This might be a win or go home game. 

Siena Heights vs #2 Indiana Tech

Date: Saturday, April 9, 4:00pm

Stream: Indiana Tech YouTube

There are two teams in the WHAC with 4-0 conference records at the moment, and they both happen to be playing in this game. Siena Heights, who struggled to start the year, have recently gone on a 4-0 tear in conference play. If they want a shot at making the playoffs, a victory over the #2 team in the country would give them a strong case. Indiana Tech has been on a blazing run, fueled by an offense that’s scored a combined 42 goals in their last 2 games. Look for this one to be high scoring and action packed. 

#3 Cumberlands vs #8 Benedictine

Date: Sunday, April 10, N/A

Stream: N/A

A rare late season out-of-conference matchup has Top 10 stakes on the line. Cumberlands is looking for a chance to solidify themselves in the national tournament. Benedictine on the other hand, coming off a loss to a resurgent Columbia squad, might be on the outside looking in. Benedictine finding a way to win this game might have the committee reevaluating whether the #8 spot in the playoffs belongs to a KCAC or AAC team. 

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Although it feels like the season has just begun, we are slowly coming up to the end of the regular season. The conferences are beginning to take shape and we are starting to see the favorites to make the tournament all with the same goal of bringing home some hardware. The results of these games will help with seeding in the looming conference tournaments.

Conference Rankings: March 23, 2022 

#6 Reinhardt (9) – #3 Cumberlands (8) 

It’s guaranteed to be a great game whenever these two squads square off. In arguably the biggest rivalry in NAIA lacrosse, a Top 6 matchup added to the pressure.

Much like in the rest of their close games this year, Reinhardt got off to a slow start. Cumberlands jumped out to an early 2-0 lead until Cameron Cochran poured in the first of his 4 goals to put the Eagles on the board. Reinhardt then took the lead before Dylan Crouch added one of his 3 goals on the day. The Patriots defense held the Eagles scoreless for the rest of the first half while their offense added 2 more to make it 5-3 heading into the break.

Shortly after play resumed Thomas Fogarty extended the lead to 3. The Eagles added a couple quick ones to make it a 2 goal game again heading to the final period. The Reinhardt D held tough in the final period, holding Cumberlands to just one more goal. The game’s hero was Titus Thind who would add 2, including the go-ahead goal, in the final 5 minutes. 

#5 Aquinas (17) – Madonna (10) 

Madonna looked to come into this game to put themselves into the Top 4 of the WHAC. However, they ran into an Aquinas squad looking to bounce back from a tough loss the week prior.

In the first quarter, Mitch Haggart added 2 goals while the Aquinas midfield added 3 themselves for a 5-0 lead. Jon Jardis would add one in the second quarter before Madonna would go on a 4 goal run to close out the half, 3 of which were scored by Nick Conrad. The game would remain close through the third quarter as the teams traded mini runs to make it 10-7 game.

In the fourth Aquinas couldn’t be stopped, no matter how hard the Crusader defense tried. They would score 7 times in the final quarter. The game could have looked a lot worse if it weren’t for the astounding play of Jeff Varner who made 17 saves for Madonna. 

#2 Indiana Tech (20) – Lourdes (5)

Following their tight win over Concordia, Lourdes was riding high heading into this contest. That lasted a whole 53 seconds before Samuel Bodley would put the Warriors on the board, one of his 5 on the day. Nick Johnson would add one of his 2 goals for Lourdes to tie the game.

The teams would exchange goals and remain tied halfway through the first quarter. Nothing the Gray Wolves defense tried worked, as the Warriors would add goal after goal to extend their lead to 9-3 heading into the half. The second half wasn’t much better as Tech would end the game on an 11-1 run. Andrew Ryan and Nate Lagnille vaulted their All-American campaigns by each adding four goals in the contest. 

#9 Tennessee Wesleyan (11) – St. Andrews (5)

Coming off two Top 10 AAC victories and a heavyweight match-up with Reinhardt looming, the Bulldogs found themselves in a perfect opportunity for a trap game. Early on, that appeared to be a serious possibility, as it was a one goal game after the first quarter. The teams would exchange goals until the first two minutes of the second quarter but from that point, TWU would take over.

Dylan Weaver would find Robert Holekamp and the Bulldogs never looked back. That was the start of an 8-0 run that lasted through the third quarter and into the start of the fourth. St. Andrews would add 3 goals in the fourth quarter to make the final score a little more respectable, but this one was all Bulldogs. 

PODCAST

Lacrosse All Stars - Grow The Game® Powered by Fivestar

The latest conference rankings that were released were vastly different from the rankings at the start of the season. It seems that every week, there is an upset or close game that has us rethinking who will come out of each conference. Indiana Tech and St. Ambrose sit atop their respective conferences, but figuring out who sits behind them is a total guessing game. Tennessee Wesleyan has somehow emerged as a prevalent threat in the NAIA. Also, good luck figuring out what’s going on in the AAC, your guess is just as good as anyone else’s. Let’s look at how this week’s action shaped the national NAIA picture. 

Conference Rankings: March 21, 2022

#9 Tennessee Wesleyan (9) – #4 Keiser (8) 

Keiser may soon be regretting their decision to join the AAC. After handing Reinhardt their first loss in three years, they’ve gone 1-3 in conference matchups since. Their latest loss was to a rolling Bulldogs squad. The Seahawks would ride a 3 goal run in the first quarter to lead 4-1 early. The second quarter saw the defenses begin to takeover as neither offense could really generate much and were forcing shots. Two minutes into the second half, Max Heistand would pour in his 11th goal of the year to give Keiser a 7-3 lead. From there however, TWU took over.

A 4 goal run including a pair from Robert Holekamp, would tie the game going into the final quarter. In the fourth, TWU would only be able to get off 3 shots. However, two of them went in the net and it was enough to upset the No.4 Seahawks. Austin Hall was a difference-maker in net with a career high 14 saves for the Bulldogs. 

#9 Tennessee Wesleyan (10) – #7 Webber (9) 

Following their upset of No.4 Keiser, TWU decided to keep the ball rolling with another Top 10 upset. This time the Webber Warriors were the victims. Kyle Gasior controlled the faceoffs winning 13 of 22 on the day which helped TWU lead the possession battle. Webber would lead early, but the Bulldogs never waivered. The Bulldogs would outscore the Warriors 4-1 in the second quarter leading to a 6-4 halftime advantage.

In the third quarter, both defenses would step up and allow only one goal apiece. In the final period, the teams would trade goals back and forth until two late man-up goals made it a 1 goal game with 14 seconds left. Gasior won the ensuing face-off and the Bulldogs would run out the clocks en route to their 10th win on the year. What might be most impressive about this run by Tennessee Wesleyan is that they’re doing it with only 17 players on their roster. 

#2 Indiana Tech (17) – #10 Lawrence Tech (7)

After finding their way into the Top 10, Lawrence Tech was looking to show that they belonged by potentially upsetting the No.2 team, Indiana Tech. However, this game was over just about as soon as it started. Louis Czech would score 2 of his 4 goals in the first five minutes to give the Warriors an early lead. Indiana Tech would extend their first quarter lead to 6-2 thanks to 2 goals from Emmett Coleman.

In the second quarter, LTU struggled to clear the ball, going 5-10, leading to some extra possessions for the Warriors which they would capitalize on to extend the lead to 9-4 at the half. A 5-0 third quarter would seal the deal for the Warriors and would eventually lead to a 17-7 victory. With a little more consistency from their faceoff unit and goalie, Indiana Tech might have a shot at winning it all.

Lourdes (14) V CUAA (11)

Indiana Tech sits atop of the WHAC, but the rest of the conference is jockeying for their position in the conference tournament. These two teams were battling for a prime spot. Concordia jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, and looked to be in the control of the game early, leading 5-3 after the first quarter. The Gray Wolves would battle back in the second, thanks in large part to LSM Ezequel Ceant, who would control the faceoffs. Back-to-back goals by Caden Louthan in the final two minutes of the half would have the game tied going into the break.

The teams would continue to battle in the second half until Lourdes caught fire for a 6 goal run that spanned deep into the fourth quarter. Midfielder Ryan Isles attempted to start a comeback adding two goals late for the Cardinals, but it was too late. The major difference in this game was Concordia living in the penalty box and Lourdes capitalizing on 3-7 opportunities. 

#1 St. Ambrose (17) V #8 Ottawa (7)

St. Ambrose won their 9th straight game this weekend after defeating the Ottawa Braves 17-7. The Braves would open scoring with a goal from Luke Spells. St. Ambrose would go on a 5-0 run from that point and looked to control the game early. A pair of goals by Dakota Lepker and another Man-Up goal from Vincent DeMarco would make it a 1 goal a game after the first 15 minutes.

Likely 1st-Team All-American, Michael Shakerin, would start to take over for the Fighting Bees and score 2 goals in the second quarter and would extend the lead to 10-5 at the half. Ottawa would score two early at the start of the second half, giving the appearance of a comeback, but the St. Ambrose squad would lock in and go on a 7 goal run to finish the game. 

NAIA Players of the Week: 

Offense: Michael Shakerin – Jr. – Attack – St. Ambrose – 7 goals and 7 assists in 3 games

Defense: Austin Hall – So. – Goalie -Tennessee Wesleyan – 26 saves in 2 games

PODCAST

Lacrosse All Stars - Grow The Game® Powered by Fivestar

Just when we start to feel like we have an understanding of what’s going on in the NAIA, there’s a major shake-up. With each coming week, it becomes tougher to figure out how things will shake out for the National Tournament. We’re wishing the best of luck to the coaches who will be tasked with seeding it. 

Let’s take a look at this week’s matchups that had the biggest Impact on the NAIA.

Conference Rankings: March 21, 2022

#3 Cumberlands (10) – #2 Keiser (4)

In this game, Cumberlands looked to bounce back after their worst performance of the year against Indiana Tech. With this Keiser squad, it’s hard to tell if you’re going to get one of the best team’s in the country or if they will fall short of those expectations. In this performance we saw the latter out of Kaiser. Cumberlands leaned on their strong defense headlined by Jake Morgan to Cause Turnovers and generate more possessions for their offense. Those extra possessions mattered early as the Patriots would start the game on an 8-0 run. It would take until 6:13 in the second quarter for Keiser to finally put one in the back of the net.

A big reason that the Keiser offense couldn’t get anything going was Will “Pork Chop” Settle tying a season high with 13 saves in net for Cumberlands. This win should put Cumberlands as the No.2 seed in the AAC and leave Keiser with their destiny in their own hands. 

#7 Benedictine (16) – William Penn (7)

In the KCAC, St. Ambrose has cemented themselves at the top of the conference, the rest of the conference however, seems up for grabs. This KCAC matchup feature two teams battling to place themselves at the top of the league. The Ravens traveled to Oskaloosa to face the Statesmen. This game would start close, with both teams scoring in the first couple of minutes. However, the Ravens would score back to back goals shortly after, and their lead would grow from there. Benedictine’s defense stifled the Statesmen offense allowing only 25 shots in the game, while their offense generated 41. Michael Hogan and Joseph Doyle each scored 4 Goals to lead the way. 

#8 Webber (14) – Madonna (8)

Coming off a game where they were eyeing an upset over Reinhardt, Madonna looked to stay hot and attempt to upset another Top 10 opponent. Coming into this game, Madonna had just that one contest under their belt, while Webber came into this meeting after having already played in 11 games. Madonna looked like they were still shaking off the rust while Webber operated as a well-oiled machine. The Crusaders played tough, battling to a 3-3 tie at the beginning of the second quarter, but couldn’t keep up with the Warriors. A goal with 3 seconds before the end of the first half would give Webber a 3 goal lead going into the half. Madonna could never close the gap. Cole Gingell and Ian Rush combined for 6 of Madonna’ s 8 goals but needed a little more help from the rest of their team. 

#3 Saint Ambrose (16) – #6 Aquinas (13)

The most competitive game of the weekend actually took place on a Monday as the St. Ambrose, the presumed, new No.1 in the NAIA faced-off against No.6 Aquinas. This game resembled a heavyweight boxing match where the two parties just kept throwing and landing haymakers. The Bees would jump out to a 2-0 lead but Aquinas would battle back to tie it up at 4 in the second quarter. The rest of the first half featured the teams going on runs in route to a 2 goal difference in favor of the Bees.

The second half would belong to Nolan Hayes, who recorded 10 saves in the third quarter, while only allowing 1 Goal. This allowed St. Ambrose to stretch the lead to 4 goals. Mitch Haggart attempted to lead a comeback for the Saints, with two early 4th quarter goals. The Bees responded with 3 quick goals, which the Saints quickly matched with 3 of their own making the game 15-13 with 5 minutes to go in the game. That would be the end of the comeback attempt however, as the Saints couldn’t find the net for the remainder of the game.

NAIA Players of the Week: 

Offense – Michael Shakerin – St. Ambrose – Attack, Jr – 7 Goals, 6 Assists in 2 games

Defense – Will Settle – Cumberlands – Goalie – 18 saves, 81.8% Save Pct. in 2 games

NAIA PODCAST

Lacrosse All Stars - Grow The Game® Powered by Fivestar

With the NAIA season in full swing, we have started to see arguably the most parity we’ve ever seen in the NAIA. Some teams who have traditionally been at the top of the league are faltering and some new names are rising up the rankings. This year’s tournament will look much different than last and we might have a new front-runner leading the pack. 

This week I’ll recap the Top 5 games that had the biggest effect on the NAIA landscape: 

#5 Indiana Tech (13) – #3 Cumberlands (5)

Early in the season, this Indiana Tech team was a team of two halves. They struggled to get started early in games, and would have to rely on strong second halves. Last week they finally put together a full four quarters when taking down #8 William Penn. They followed that victory up with another full four quarters in this game.

They finished the first quarter with a 3-0 lead and never looked back. Cumberlands had every opportunity to make this their game, with FO Nik Kubik going 17-22, they had an advantage in the number of possessions. Kyle TwoBulls stood strong in net behind a lockdown defense led by Tom Piotrowski which prevented the Patriots from gaining any momentum. Louis Czech led the way offensively for the Warriors, with 4 goals and 2 assists.

Indiana Tech looks like one of the strongest teams in the NAIA and are probably hoping to find themselves in a rematch with Reinhardt in the distant future. 

Madonna (9) – #1 Reinhardt (14)

Coming off of their first loss after 39 straight wins, Reinhardt was looking to revert back to their old ways. In the first quarter they led 3-0 and looked poised to make it another dominating win. However, in the second quarter Jeff Varner and the Crusader defense stepped up. On the opposite side of the ball, Ian Rush and the rest of the offense came alive and made it 4-4 heading into the half. Rush kept up the pressure in the second half and had his squad leading 8-7 heading into the fourth.

After an early goal gave Madonna a 2 goal advantage, what might have been an upset quickly turned into a blowout the other way. The Eagles finished with 7 unanswered goals to escape another shocking loss. 

Lawrence Tech (7) – #2 Keiser (6)

After handing Reinhardt their first loss of the year in the game prior, Keiser put a target on their backs as the best team in the NAIA. That game lasted two overtimes and likely had a lasting effect on the bodies of the Seahawks players. Lawrence Tech came into town and played their own brand of physical lacrosse which caught Keiser by surprise.

Samuel Pickelhaupt and Jake Kidd combined for 7 caused turnovers and prevented Keiser from getting any momentum out of their offense. Maverick Muscat and Eli Lozinski each had 3 points for the Blue Devils. This game could have been a lot worse if not for 18 saves out of Cole George in net for Keiser.

#10 Columbia (8) – #3 St. Ambrose (15)

After Reinhardt’s first loss in years and Keiser getting upset by Lawrence Tech, the No.1 spot in the NAIA was up for grabs. The Fighting Bees didn’t shy away from the pressure going up against conference rival Columbia.

Both teams came out strong in the first and the Cougars took an early 2-1 lead. From that point on, the Bees would go on a 9-1 run to end the half, this was in large part thanks to Hunter Northway who won every single faceoff in the first half allowing St. Ambrose to play “make it take it” lacrosse. It was pretty even the rest of the way but Columbia could never get enough momentum to stage a comeback. Shakerin, Keating, and Danner each had a hat trick for St. Ambrose. 

Tennessee Wesleyan (14) – Ottawa (5) 

These two teams are receiving votes and looking to crack into the Top 10, with the winner of this game likely to do so. The Bulldogs are a very methodical team, they dominate faceoffs and then take long lasting possessions to wear down the opposing defense. When they control the ball for the majority of the game, their opponents can’t get any rhythm and don’t have a lot of opportunities to score. That was exactly the case in this game.

Kyle Gasior again dominated, winning 16 of 23 faceoffs. Jackson Lollis poured in 5 goals to lead the way on offense for the Bulldogs. The Demarco Brothers, Vincent and Brandon, couldn’t get much going for the Braves offense. Both goalies played solid with Christopherson and Hall had 11 and 12 saves respectively. 

NAIA Players of the Week

Offense – Dillan Bousquet – A, Sr., Reinhardt – in 3 games: 14 Goals, 8 Assists, 8 Groundball. 

Defense – Hunter Northway – FO, Sr., St. Ambrose – in 2 games: 33-43, 23 Groundballs

Lacrosse All Stars - Grow The Game® Powered by Fivestar

This past week the second edition of NAIA Conference and National Rankings were released. These rankings gave some extra incentive to some exciting out of conference matchups this weekend. After some surprising results from this slate of games, we can be almost certain that these rankings won’t stay the same when the next iteration comes out. However it looks like the only direction Cumberlands may be headed in is up.

Let’s take a look at the outcomes of this weekend’s matchups: 

#6 Concordia Ann Arbor (7) – #4 Cumberlands (14)

After last week’s exciting Top 10 matchup between St. Ambrose and Indiana Tech, Concordia came into this contest looking follow St. Ambrose did, upset the higher ranked team. However, Cumberlands came prepared to prevent the upset, thanks to a hot start.

Cumberlands outscored the Cardinals 6-0 in the 1st quarter. Dylan Crouch made his case for 1st Team All-American, putting in 4 Goals and adding 4 Assists. Good luck to any offensive player going against Jake Morgan. With another four caused turnovers and five ground balls in this game, he will likely lead the NAIA in both stat categories for defensemen this year.

Sam Bowling had another strong day in goal for the Cardinals with 15 saves. I’m sure as good as those feel, he’d rather his defense prevent him from facing as many shots. CUAA is missing Junior Captain Keshawn Simmons at close defense at the moment so they’ll need some stronger performances from other members of the defense.

This is an impressive win for Cumberlands as CUAA is no easy opponent. If Cumberlands looks this consistent and dominate for the rest of the season, Cumberlands may have some new hardware at the end of it all.

UM Dearborn (5) – Tennessee Wesleyan (16)

When the second iteration of the NAIA rankings came out and TWU was still outside the Top 10, they took some advice from Michael Jordan, and took it personally.

The MVP for the Bulldogs so far in 2022 has been FO Kyle Gasior. In this matchup he went 19-25 putting him at 83-94 and 88.3% through 4 games. When Gasior wins the faceoff he’s also a threat in transition and showed that this weekend by adding a goal in this contest. Dominating the possession battle gives their offense plenty of opportunities to put goals on the board.

Nolan Kelley did his best to keep the Wolverines in this game, scoring 3 times, but he didn’t have much help. Tennessee Wesleyan’s next three opponents are all in the Top 10, so they’ll have their opportunity to get themselves into the rankings. 

St. Andrews (7) – Webber (11)

In the 2022 AAC opener for Webber and St. Andrews, it was a relatively even matchup. It was a competitive defensive battle in the first half. Neither offense was able to generate much in even situations and the first goals for both teams came from man-up opportunities.

The difference maker in this contest was that one team had Chase Jackson, and one team did not. Jackson had 7 total points on the day. The Warriors relied on a strong second half to pull away with a 4 goal win. 

SCAD (21) – Point (4)

In the preseason AAC rankings, these two teams were projected to finish at the bottom of the conference. That shouldn’t be an indictment against them because the AAC might be the toughest NAIA conference this year. Three teams are in the Top 4, and three are receiving votes to be in the Top 10. The other two, are SCAD and Point.

There were preseason rumblings that both teams might not be able to play in 2022. Being able to get on the field and be competitive is a strong push in the right direction for both teams. In this matchup, we saw SCAD play up to their full potential, especially sophomore attackman, Seth Leister, who poured in 6 Goals and added 3 assists. The rest of the Bees were helped out by Jordan Reeves, who assisted 5 goals on the day. 

Taylor (12) – Midland (9)

Those that have been around the game of lacrosse are more than familiar with the phrase, “its a game of runs.” This game couldn’t have been a better representation of that phrase.

Taylor came out strong with a 5-1 lead in the 1st quarter, thanks in large part to 3 goals from Nic Richardson. He would finish with 5 goals on the day. Midland would respond with a 5-1 2nd quarter to take the teams into halftime tied. In the third quarter, the teams would exchange mini runs jockeying back and forth. In the 4th quarter however, Taylor would turn up the defensive pressure, only allowing 5 shots. In contrast, they added 13 for themselves, hitting the back of the net 3 times, making the final score 12-9.

#10 Benedictine (10) – #7 Indiana Tech (14)

Indiana Tech came into this game after a tough loss to a ranked KCAC team. Through the first half of this game, it looked like it would be a similar story two weeks in a row.  After each team put in an early goal, the Ravens would get hot and score 3 in under 3 minutes.

The teams exchanged runs before a couple late goals in the 2nd quarter would give Benedictine a 7-5 lead at half. Not wanting a repeat performance, the Warriors came out hot in the 3rd Quarter and scored 6 unanswered goals, including a pair each from Andrew Ryan and Emmett Coleman. The Ravens would try their hardest to come back, but every goal would be matched by a goal from the Warriors. 

Aquinas (15) – #5 Columbia College (13)

Last week, @LaxNAIA on Twitter, ran a poll that asked who the most underrated team is in the new rankings. With 33% of the votes, Aquinas was voted the most underrated. When the next rankings come out, that will no longer be the case; thanks in large part to this upset of #5 Columbia College.

There’s a lot of good attack lines in the NAIA, but I’m having a hard time thinking of one I’d rather have than Aquinas’ right now. Sweet, Haggart, and Jardis combined for 8 of the team’s 15 goals. Trevor Doren, Tyler Parrott, and John Thomas each poured in a Hat Trick for the Cougars, but they couldn’t keep pace with the Saints’ offense. It seems counterintuitive to say, but even in this high scoring of a game, both goalies still had solid performances. Peltier and Boerigter finished with 17 and 13 saves respectively. 

#7 Indiana Tech (16) – Ottawa (7)

After a strong showing against Benedictine, Indiana Tech turned around and faced Ottawa, another tough KCAC foe. A back and forth first quarter, brothers Samuel and Simeon Bodley, had 3 of the team’s first 5 goals. Andrew Ryan looks like he is starting to play at the same elite level that had him as a 1st Team All-American last year with 4 Goals in this outing.

The Warriors led 10-5 at the half. A 5-0 3rd quarter effectively put an end to the game. The Tech defense held Ottawa to just 10 shots in the 2nd half. In 1st halves so far this year Indiana Tech is being outscored 19-20. In the 2nd halves, they’re out scoring their opponents 18-9. If they can put together complete games, they’ll quickly find themselves back at the top of the rankings as everyone predicted to start the year. 

Webber (15) – SCAD (6)

2021’s AAC Freshman of the Year, Chase Jackson, is quickly asserting himself into the conversation for the best offensive player in the NAIA. Following a 7 point day against St. Andrews, Jackson added another 5 against SCAD. With 27 assists and 3.85 per game, Jackson might have the best vision in the country.

The Webber defense played as a strong unit causing 8 turnovers. After Aquinas’ strong performance against Columbia, it makes Webber’s double overtime loss look a whole lot stronger. Webber who looks to be playing some of their best lacrosse will square-off against No.1 Reinhardt next week. 

#10 Benedictine (26) – Morningside (2)

After tough outings against Quincy and Indiana Tech, Benedictine was able to rebound against an overmatched Morningside squad. This game was never all that close as Benedictine scored 3 goals in the first 5 minutes and 8 goals total in the 1st quarter. Michael Hogan was able to find the back of the net an astounding 10 times. 

NAIA Players of the Week

Offensive – Chase Jackson, Soph., Attack, Webber – 12 points in 2 games

Defensive – Kyle Gasior, Sr., FO, TWU – 19-25 on Face-offs, 75% FO Pct. 

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Most NAIA programs like William Penn have been pulling out impressive wins over NCAA programs. That trend continued this week as the NAIA had no issue taking care of business against many Division 3 schools.

There are some certainties headed into the regular season. Reinhard will still do Reinhardt things. William Penn is going to make some noise in the KCAC. Lawrence Tech is going to hang with every team they play this year regardless of rank.

With those certainties come questions that have yet to be answered. Hopefully in the coming weeks once every NAIA team begins competitive play, we will have a better gauge of what is in store for this season.

St. Andrews (20) – Point (7) 

In one of our few NAIA vs NAIA games of the weekend, we saw St. Andrews take on Point. This wasn’t much of a contest as St. Andrews took a 3-1 after the first quarter followed up by a 7-1 run heading into halftime.

The standout players for the Knights were junior attackman Sean Greiner (5G, 2A) and freshman midfielder William Nuzzo (6G). Bryan Habick, the new Head Coach of St. Andrews, has to be more than pleased with his first win. However, St. Andrew’s has to be more careful when the ball is in their sticks as they turned the ball over 28 times. That many turnovers against better competition will lead to losses.

Jassiem Josse was again a bright spot for the undermanned Point, scoring 4 of the 7 goals scored. Josse will likely be overlooked for end of the year awards, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a player doing more with less. 

Reinhardt (21) – SCAD (6)

The story of this game revolves around one main character, Dillan Bousquet. If you haven’t heard of Bousquet yet, get familiar. With Gavin Banks graduating from Reinhardt, the reins of the Eagles offense are now in the hands of Bousquet.

The 2021 second team All-American is on record setting pace this season thanks to a strong start against SCAD. Bousquet finished with 9 Goals which was enough to beat SCAD single-handedly, and for good measure he added 4 Assists to go with it. Every opposing coach on Reinhardt’s schedule will need to study as much film as they can and hope to find a way to contain him. 

St. Ambrose (14) – Augustana (12)

Last year’s KCAC runner-up had four losses which were all against the top 4 NAIA teams in the nation including a loss to Keiser in the NAIA Nationals Tournament. St. Ambrose is looking to take the next step to becoming one of NAIA’s elite teams and win some of those tougher matchups.

While we don’t have stats or video from this game, we can infer that St. Ambrose is working on winning some of those tough matchups by battling a gritty Augustana team in a preseason scrimmage. They better hope they worked out all their early season issues as they’ll face Indiana Tech and Taylor on back to back days this upcoming week. 

Mount Vernon Nazarene (22) – Mount. St. Joseph University (8)

In 2021, Mount Vernon Nazarene did not see a lot of success against NAIA competition until a 1 goal win against Taylor in their final game of the season. The Cougars are hoping for a little more success in 2022.

Their first few games against NCAA DIII competition is a sign of hope moving into NAIA play. Earlier in the week, MVNU took down Heidelberg University 11-1, followed up by a win against Mt. St. Joe’s, 22-8. Against Mt. St. Joseph, Johnny Grumney poured in 5 goals on 10 shots leading the team in scoring. The Cougars also had 4 other players score more than 1 goal on the day. They’ll hope to continue this type of scoring for the rest of the season. 

William Penn (19) – Cornell College (4)

An impressive second season for William Penn where they finished 9-8 has started to garner some respect for Willy P headed into this season. With that respect comes some expectations which was evident when the Statesmen were ranked #10 in the NAIA Preseason poll.

In their first action of 2022 season, they took on NCAA DIII’s Cornell College, and they made a statement. They come out firing, outshooting the Rams 60-19. However, what impressed me most about this team was the defense. The defense came out flying around, being aggressive, and creating turnovers.

A little cleaning up in the riding and clearing games could have had this team putting up 25-30 goals. If they can continue with this offensive firepower and defensive intensity, William Penn can compete not only in the KCAC, but also for a shot at the NAIA National Tournament. 

Alma (16) – UM Dearborn (13)

The first of two matchups between WHAC teams and MIAA teams that were featured this weekend featured Alma College and University of Michigan Dearborn. Both teams were predicted to finish in the bottom half of their respective conferences in their preseason polls. This games was a good measuring gauge to how their seasons will actually hopefully play out.

This game belonged to Alma from the start as they started with a quick 4-1 lead. However, whenever the Scots would try to pull away, the Wolverines would have an answer. Dearborn would keep it within a goal or two for the majority of the game until the fourth quarter. Alma eventually pulled away and finished with a 16-13 victory. Middle Quest Bigelow was the catalyst for the Wolverine offense putting in 3 goals. 

LTU (10) – Kalamazoo College (8) 

Last week we saw Lawrence Tech drop a tough one against Grand Valley State. The Blue Devils looked to bounce back against the MIAA’s Kalamazoo College. This was an absolute battle between the two squads.

LTU jumped out to an early 7-3 lead which Kalamazoo cut down to 2 before half time. The 3rd quarter had the makings of a heavyweight bout as both teams exchanged haymakers eventually tying the game up at 8. A pole goal from Wyatt Nedbal gave Lawrence Tech a 1 goal advantage heading into the final quarter.

From there the Blue Devil defense stepped up and caused a ton of pressure which prevented the Hornets from getting into any of their sets and getting anything going. After dishing out 3 assists on the day, Eli Lozinski was able to add a goal for himself, effectively ending the game. 

Tennessee Wesleyan (21) – Lagrange (1)

After a game in which we saw the Tennessee Wesleyan squad put up 22 goals, we saw them follow it up this week with 21 goals. This time the opponent was Lagrange College, a third year program in NCAA Division III.

Again the Bulldogs dominated every facet of the game including groundballs, Faceoffs, and caused turnovers. We may have to wait awhile to see how TWU responds to pressure.

Their next game is against Shorter University, a team that regularly struggles in NCAA DII, on February 16. They square off against University of Michigan Dearborn on the 26th and we will hopefully get a real look at them then.

NAIA Player of The Weekend:

Dillan Bousquet – Attack- Reinhardt – 9 Goals – 4 Assists

Tune in weekly as I recap that past weekend’s NAIA action. Look for more in depth analysis to come as we get more access to livestreams, film, and stats. 

If you crave more NAIA Lacrosse, check out the NAIA Lax Updates podcast on YouTube. Jon Vance and Tucker La Belle give their insight on this past weekend and look forward to next. They also have a great discussion on where the NAIA is headed.

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The 2022 NAIA season is finally getting itself into full swing and this past weekend gave us a little taste of what’s to come this upcoming season. Many teams are rounding into form by playing teams from both the MCLA and NCAA Division 3. 

This past weekend featured the best of the NAIA squaring off against the best of the MCLA in two separate matchups. Reinhardt took on Georgia Tech, and Lawrence Tech battled Grand Valley State. We got a good glimpse of how the level of competition compares between both leagues.

NAIA VERSUS MCLA: NAIA WEEKEND RECAP

Reinhardt (13) – Georgia Tech (10)

For Reinhardt’s new Head Coach, Tyler Yelken, this was a massive opportunity to make a statement. Even though there is a new coaching regime, Reinhardt is still Reinhardt.

Reinhardt, the NAIA preseason No.1, and Georgia Tech, the MCLA preseason No.4, battled in a tightly contested game that was within one score for the vast majority of the contest.

The Eagles relied heavily on their depth to carry them to victory. This tight contest may be one of the hardest for the Reinhardt program this spring. Unless we see some other teams elevate their level of play, this is an early sign of Reinhardt repeating as National Champs. 

Lawrence Tech (11) – Grand Valley St. (13)

In the second contest between top teams in the NAIA and MCLA, we saw a different result for the leagues. Lawrence Tech squared off against Grand Valley State. Grand Valley is a perennial competitor at the top of MCLA Division II and was ranked No.6 in their preseason poll.

While the final result saw Grand Valley come out on top, there has to be a lot of optimism coming from LTU. A large number of Blue Devils players were held out of this game due to COVID protocols and they still managed to keep it close thanks to a late rally.

After having both their 2020 and 2021 seasons cut short due to COVID, I’m sure LTU is hoping this isn’t a sign of a similar outcome this year. If they can remain healthy, this team should be a team to watch out for coming out of the WHAC. 

Tennessee Wesleyan (22) – Point (3)

Tennessee Wesleyan kicked off their Appalachian Athletic Conference slate with Point University. The Bulldogs dominated every facet of the game, not just in score, but also in shots, face-off wins, and ground balls.

Point University hired Jordan Coates to breathe some new life into a struggling program, and while we wish them the best, that is going to take some time. One bright spot for Point is Jassiem Jose, who through 3 games, has 8 goals. 

Player of the Weekend:

Gavin Greco (A) TWU: Greco put in 4 goals on an efficient 5 shots and added 1 assist and 3 GBs. 

Tune in weekly as I recap that past weekend’s NAIA action. Look for more in depth analysis to come as we get more access to livestreams, film, and stats. 

If you crave more NAIA Lacrosse, check out the NAIA Lax Updates podcast on YouTube. Jon Vance and Tucker La Belle give their insight on this past weekend and look forward to next. They also have a great discussion on where the NAIA is headed.

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