The fourth-ranked Loyola (Md.) Greyhounds on Saturday night snapped the University of Denver’s three-game winning streak while humbling the No. 8 Pioneers at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. Before a sellout crowd of 2,547, Loyola won 12-9 to improve to 11-0 and 5-0 in the Eastern College Athletic Conference.
Denver (7-4, 3-2) got three goals from sophomore midfielder Jeremy Noble, who completed his hat trick with 1:54 remaining to make it 11-9, but Loyola sophomore goalie Jack Runkel made a big ensuing save and Matt Sawyer produced his third goal on the rush at the other end.
DU committed 15 turnovers, eliminating its advantages in total shots (39-24), groundballs (32-24) and faceoffs (25-4).
“We talked all week about controlling the ball, being smart with the ball, and we weren’t smart with the ball,” Pioneers coach Bill Tierney said.
The Greyhounds led nearly the entire game, including 7-5 early in the third quarter when junior attackman Patrick Fanshaw struck with the man-advantage. But senior attackman Alex Demopoulos, Noble and freshman attackman Eric Adamson scored consecutive goals to give DU its only lead (8-7) with 8:24 to go in the third quarter.
The Greyhounds scored the next four goals, two from senior Eric Lusby, to take a 11-8 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Runkel was outstanding.
DU trailed 4-2 after the first quarter and 6-5 at halftime. Loyola attackman Mike Sawyer scored 21 seconds into the second quarter for a 5-2 lead, but DU’s Wes Berg, Demopoulos and Noble struck consecutively to tie it, the latter coming with 6:13 left in the quarter.
Denver plays Saturday at Fairfield to conclude ECAC play and then hosts perennial national power and currently No. 7 Duke on May 4 in the second game of the Mile High Classic doubleheader at Sports Authority Field at Mile High (the opener is defending NCAA champion and No. 1 Virginia versus Penn).
The Pioneers host the ECAC Tournament on May 2 and May 4 at Barton Stadium. The NCAA Tournament begins May 12.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
