KENNESAW, Ga. — The defending national champion and current second-ranked University of Denver men’s lacrosse team never trailed in defeating No. 3 Duke, 14-12, on Saturday in the Cobb Country Classic at Fifth Third Bank Stadium on the campus of Kennesaw State University.
The Pioneers improved to 2-0 and have a winning streak of 15 games stretching to last season, when they won the national championship. The Blue Devils fell to 2-1.
All-American Connor Cannizzaro scored a hat trick in the second half to lead DU.
Tied 12-12 late in the fourth quarter, Tyler Pace scored off a pass from Jack Bobzien. Then Colin Woolford scored on a shot that deflected off a Duke defender and into the back of the net from outside the box on the right side to give Denver the lead for good.
Ten players scored for Denver, the fourth time that has happened since the start of the 2015 season.
Bobzien added four points for the Pioneers with a goal and three assists, and freshman Colton Jackson had three points, including two goals.
DU jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but the game was tied 7-7 late in the third. Then Cannizzaro scored twice in the final 1:20 to make it 9-7.
Duke answered with two goals in the first two minutes of the fourth to tie it at 9-9. But Cannizzaro, Brendan Bomberry and Max Planning scored to make it 12-9 with 9:39 left to play. But Duke responded once again, with three goals in a span of 1:20 to make it 12-12 with 6:10 left.
Cannizzarro extended his consecutive-game point streak and goal streak to 27 games. The goal streak was tied for second in the nation entering the weekend. He has 72 goals in that stretch.
DU’s Zach Miller extended his consecutive game point streak to 39 games. He entered the weekend second in the nation.
