IRVINE, Calif. – The Concordia University Irvine men's lacrosse team got a good look at the defending RMAC champions on Sunday in the first meeting between the two programs as new conference foes.

Colorado Mesa and CUI were up to the challenge but the visiting Mavericks seized control early and wound up building a 9-3 halftime lead that they would not relinquish.

Drew Buckley, Chad McFadden and Nick Beeson all scored in the opening period for the Golden Eagles.  Buckley converted for CUI while the team was a man up.

CUI would cash in three times on the day after drawing a penalty on the Mavericks.  Reece Lapham and Nick Beeson also scored when the team was a man up in the fourth.

CUI outscored CMU 5-4 in the final quarter but ran out of time to complete a full comeback. Colorado Mesa took the first meeting 19-9 to round out the weekend.

Eight different players scored for Concordia, including Matt Carresi. He leads CUI with 11 goals scored this season through the team's first three games.

Brady Galbraith, Ryan Tabor and Max Texter each scored their first goals of the season in the second half as well.

It was the second RMAC game in three days for Concordia, who actually hosted four NCAA men's lacrosse games this weekend with Westminster and Dominican also in town.

CUI's first home game as a NCAA DII program was this past Friday, in a high-scoring affair with the Griffins.  Carresi and Beeson each scored four times against Westminster.

Concordia will be home again for more RMAC games in April.  The squad hits the road now for three games this week in Florida, beginning with an interesting matchup with No. 2 Rollins on Tuesday.

CLICK HERE for the updated CUI men's lacrosse schedule