A positive result against a ranked team finally unfolded Friday night for the seemingly star-struck University of Denver men’s lacrosse team. The Pioneers, who had absorbed four of their five losses by one goal, including three in overtime, upset third-ranked Duke 15-9 before a crowd of 12,282 in the finale of the Mile High Classic at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
The win followed Virginia’s 10-8 triumph over Penn and likely put DU back in contention for an NCAA Tournament at-large berth. The No. 16 Pioneers (8-5) host the Eastern College Athletic Conference Tournament on Wednesday and Friday, opening as the No. 4 seed against No. 1 Loyola (Md.), ranked No. 1 nationally at 12-0.
The Pioneers still might have to win the ECAC crown to advance to the 16-team national field, but snapping Duke’s 10-game winning streak gives them a possible fallback option. The Blue Devils (13-4) were coming off victories over Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina and hadn’t lost since March 10 at Loyola.
Freshman goalie Ryan LaPlante of Fort Collins was outstanding in the first and third quarters for DU, and attackmen Eric Law and Mark Matthews each had a hat trick to give the Pioneers a 11-6 lead after three quarters. LaPlante stopped the first six shots he faced and DU led 3-0 early, before the Blue Devils rallied to tie it at 5-5. The Pioneers led 6-5 at halftime and scored four consecutive third-quarter goals and 5-of-6 overall to jump ahead 11-6.
Duke went on a three-goal run to climb within 11-9 with 12:08 to play, but midfielder Chase Carraro, Matthews and Paul Danko put DU ahead 14-9 with 8:56 left. After three quarters, Denver was 12-of-19 in faceoffs and LaPlante had 11 saves — many spectacular.
Matthews finished with four goals.
Virginia 10, Penn 8. Virginia beats Penn. Steele Stanwick is a familiar name to Denver lacrosse fans. Friday night, he introduced himself to the Mile High City.
The Virginia senior and reigning Tewaaraton Trophy winner as college lacrosse’s player of the year scored a double hat trick — six goals — in a 10-8 victory over Penn in the opener of the Mile High Classic.
Stanwick had three goals in last year’s 14-8 victory over DU in the national semifinals, and the Cavaliers went on to win their fifth national title against Maryland.
Sixth-ranked Virginia ( 11-3) had lost its previous two games, to Duke and North Carolina, and was tied with Penn (3-10) 5-5 at halftime and 7-7 after three quarters. Stanwick scored his sixth goal midway through the fourth quarter to give Virginia an 8-7 lead, and Mark Cockerton and Chris Bocklet added goals to give the Cavaliers a commanding 10-7 lead heading into the final minute.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
