After a thrilling overtime win over defending National Champions Loyola University, the
University of Denver looks to cap the 2013 regular season as the overall No. 1 team in
the nation.
The Pioneers built up an early 8-3 lead going into halftime in front of over 3,000 Loyola
fans, before being outscored 9-4 in the second half to force overtime with a 12-12 score.
Overtime didn’t last long, however, as midfielder Cameron Flint scored 16 seconds into
the extra period to give Denver their 5th straight win.
“I thought our team played an outstanding first half, and that Loyola played an
outstanding second half,” Pioneers Head Coach Bill Tierney said on
denverpioneers.com. “I’m proud of the way our team responded when it came time to
head into overtime. Our whole team stepped up when we needed them to, and that is a
mark of a good team.”
The win over conference-foe Loyola leap-frogged Denver from No. 3 in the Nike/Inside
Lacrosse Media poll and USILA Coaches poll to the overall top spot, as well as over-
taking the No. 1 spot in the ECAC.
With only two games remaining this season, Denver is expected to keep the top seed in
the conference heading into the ECAC tournament. The Pioneers will host the 7-5
Fairfield University Stags April 20, before ending the season April 27 against 0-12
University of Michigan.
The Pioneers have taken the ECAC by storm this season, with an unbeaten conference
record. While the match-ups haven’t been set for the conference tournament, Denver is
likely to come out on top after going undefeated in ECAC play. Currently, Loyola is in
second with University of Ohio State and Fairfield in third and fourth, respectively.
April 20’s game versus Fairfield could be a preview for a first-round ECAC matchup, but
nothing is set in stone, as of yet.
At 3-2 in the conference and with two tough conference games remaining, Fairfield
could end the season in a tie for the fourth spot if they drop both remaining games. That
would give Fairfield and Bellarmine University the same 3-4 record, with Bellarmine
owning the tie breaker between the two teams.
A first round match-up versus Bellarmine may not be as favorable for Denver, as it took
two overtime periods for the Pioneers to squeak out a 11-10 victory over the defensive-
minded Bellarmine squad.
On the contrary, Fairfield is chasing Ohio State for the third spot in a race that could
come down to the final regular season game.
Ohio State faces the Air Force Academy in a conference game on April 20, and
considering Air Force’s 1-4 ECAC record it is safe to say Ohio State is the favorite. That
would give Ohio stat a 4-2 record, and if Fairfield loses versus Denver the same day
that puts them at 3-3 in conference. So, if Fairfield were to win versus Ohio stat on the
final day of the season that would make both teams 4-3, giving the Stags the 3rd seed
and leaving Ohio state in fourth.
While the top two seeds in the ECAC are pretty well set – with Denver in first and
Loyola in second – a three-way race for the third and fourth seed are underway, and it
could come down to a photo-finish on the last day of the season.
