QUICK HITS
- Cleveland State fell in overtime to Marquette, 11-10, in the season opener
- The Vikings had scored two game-tying goals in the final two minutes
- Junior Tristan Hanna led the Vikings with three goals
- Senior Noah Gleeson and sophomore Gabe Reno each added three points
- Senior Danny Tesler and sophomore Cole Anderson combined to win 14-of-23 faceoffs
- CSU had edges in shots and clearing percentage in addition to faceoffs
GAME RECAP
The Cleveland State University lacrosse team battled BIG EAST foe Marquette to the wire, but the Vikings suffered a heartbreaking, 11-10, loss in overtime in each team's season opener Saturday inside Krenzler Dome.
CSU had trailed twice in the final two minutes, 9-8 and then 10-9, but the Vikings rallied back on each occasion, including forcing overtime on a Tristan Hanna goal with just 13 seconds left in regulation.
However, the late heroics did not carry into the extra period for CSU, as Marquette scored on the first possession of overtime to claim the win.
Hanna posted a hat trick in the opener, after tallying a team-high seven hat tricks last season, and also added two caused turnovers. He scored both of CSU's tying goals in the final two minutes.
Senior Noah Gleeson and sophomore Gabe Reno each tied for team-high honors with three points.
Gleeson, who produced three points for the first time since his freshman year, had a goal, two assists, two ground balls and a caused turnover. Reno posted a trio of assists, matching his assist total from his entire freshman campaign.
Senior Danny Tesler (9-of-16) and sophomore Cole Anderson (5-of-7) combined to win 14 of 23 faceoffs for the Vikings. Tesler added five ground balls while Anderson was seeing the first significant action of his collegiate career.
The teams split the opening two faceoffs with both scoring on their first possession of the game to provide each side with an early goal.
Marquette scored twice more in the quarter, sandwiched around a CSU goal by sophomore Nick Polydoras, with the second Golden Eagle strike coming in transition, giving MU a 3-2 lead after the opening frame. The Vikings could have been equalized if not for a close call on a dive into the crease with the goal initially being awarded and then waved off.
CSU dominated the second quarter, outscoring the guests, 4-0, to take a 6-3 lead into intermission.
The second stanza featured a fine strike by senior Stephen Masi, who started from below goal line extended before firing an over-the-shoulder strike into the top corner. Senior Noah Gleeson capped the first half scoring when he collected a contested faceoff ground ball near the restraining line and bullied his way to goal before firing home.
Marquette scored a trio of goals in the third quarter, to a lone strike by the Vikings, and trailed only, 7-6, heading into the final quarter.
The teams traded goals inside the opening three minutes of the fourth quarter, putting the score at 8-7 in favor of the hosts.
The Golden Eagles tied the game in transition, after it seemed as though the Vikings might force a failed clear, halfway through the final frame. Marquette then took the lead fewer then 90 seconds later to go ahead 9-8.
Hanna found the net courtesy of Reno out of a timeout with just under two minutes to play to even the proceedings. Marquette was awarded the ensuing faceoff on a CSU violation and scored with 47 seconds to play.
The Vikings would equalize with just 13 seconds to play, again with Hanna converting courtesy of Reno coming out of a timeout.
CSU won the final faceoff of regulation but could not get a shot off.
Marquette won the overtime faceoff and proceeded to score on the only shot of the period.
Cleveland State led in a number of categories, including shots, faceoffs won and clearing percentage. After leading all of Division I in riding last season, the Vikings forced the Golden Eagles into six failed clears Saturday.
Sophomore Ryan Haigh had a pair of goals in his first career start and also posted a multi-goal outing in a season opener for the second straight year.
Sophomore Gareth Haigh made six saves in the cage in his first career start while adding five ground balls.
Masi's two goals equaled his total from last season's injury-riddled campaign while Reno's three points tied his career high. Junior Michael Wilson added a goal and an assist and has multiple points in the last half dozen games he's played.
Cleveland State will open a string of four consecutive games away from home by traveling to Michigan Saturday, Feb. 8.
