If it wasn’t already obvious, it is now official.
The red-hot Denver Pioneers men’s lacrosse team will make its second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
Fifth-ranked DU collected an automatic berth to the 16-team national field by building a commanding lead and holding off Fairfield (Conn.) 11-9 Saturday in the inaugural Eastern College Athletic Conference Tournament championship game at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.
Before winning their 10th consecutive game, the Pioneers (13-2) were seventh in the RPI rankings. By beating the Stags to improve to 15-0 all-time in ECAC play, DU is believed to be in position to host a first-round NCAA Tournament game next weekend.
The top eight seeds host.
“Fifty-50,” DU coach Bill Tierney said of the chances the Pioneers will have another home game this season. “If not, we’ll (just) look at trying to win our first (NCAA) playoff game ever. We’ll have our chances.”
The Pioneers will gather tonight and watch the NCAA selection show at 7 p.m. (ESPNU). They are hoping senior attack Todd Baxter will join them — without crutches. Baxter, who had two goals in the game to tie three others for the team high, rolled over his right ankle with 30 seconds remaining while protecting the ball at the top of the offensive box.
He left the field on crutches and, at the time, the injury was feared to be season-ending.
“What a shame, what can you say?” Tierney said. “Our senior attack goes down, 30 seconds left.”
Junior attack Alex Demopoulos paced DU with four points (two goals), sophomore midfielder Chase Carraro was 16-of-22 on faceoffs and freshman goalie Jamie Faus had 13 saves.
DU never trailed in its second victory over Fairfield, which bowed to the Pioneers 11-5 in the April 30 regular-season finale, but was dominated in the fourth quarter. The Stags produced 16 of the 19 shots in the final 15 minutes and scooped up 14 of the 19 groundballs.
DU jumped to leads of 5-1 late in the first quarter, 7-2 at halftime and 10-3 going into the fourth quarter. The teams traded goals before the Stags produced five straight.
“We went to the conserve-the-win mode much too early (or) we just ran out of steam,” Tierney said. “We have to look at body of work, first from the game standpoint — getting up 10-3 on a great team like that — and then from the season standpoint.
“We talked about three seasons. We won the regular season. Now we won the second season and we’re going into the third.”
DU’s last loss was 10-9 against then-No. 1 Notre Dame on March 12.
The Pioneers are 25-7 under Tierney, 22-3 in the past 25 games.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
