GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – After playing from behind for most of the game, the Concordia University Irvine men's lacrosse team found a way to advance past Westminster, winning a thriller in overtime by a final tally of 13-12.

RMAC Attacker of the Year Jeremy Barnes scored the game-winning goal just seconds into the extra period to stun the Griffins. First Team All-Conference selection Cade Poe had just won the draw moments before and fed Barnes for the clinching shot.

This marks the third game-winning goal of the year for Barnes, who along with Poe, was one of eight All-Conference selections that were announced earlier on Thursday.
CUI trailed by as many as three goals in the first half, but rallied behind a balanced scoring attack.

Barnes and Matt Carresi each finished with a hat trick, while Chad McFadden and Noah Pillow joined the fun with two goals apiece.

Westminster led 7-6 at intermission. A key sequence came midway through the third period after a save made by newly minted Goalkeeper of the Year Daniel Yang. The successful clear by Colin O'Connor led to a breakout for the Golden Eagles. O'Connor dropped it off to Jeremy Barnes for the game-tying goal as Concordia knotted things up at 9-9.

O'Connor was a beast on the back end, racking up a career-high 10 ground balls.

We were tied again at 11-11 when Carresi went inside to Noah Pillow, who immediately twisted his body for an artsy shot that found the back of the net and gave CUI a 12-11 advantage.

Yang made a number of fantastic saves and finished with 10 stops. He preserved the 12-12 tie in the final seconds of regulation with a clutch save to help usher in overtime.

Six different Golden Eagles scored once in the first half. After Westminster net the opening goal of the contest, CUI scored the next three.

New RMAC Midfielder of the Year Max Texter tied it at 1-1, then Brady Galbraith and Keegan Charupoom quickly followed with scores to put the Golden Eagles up 3-1. That lead was short-lived however, as the Griffins closed the period with four straight goals to go up 5-3 after one.

Westminster made it four straight goals with one more early in the second period before CUI got back on track.

Carresi scored once in the second period to help keep the Golden Eagles within one at halftime. He finished with a team-high five points as he also assisted on two of CUI's second half goals.

Poe won 13 of 25 face offs and picked up eight ground balls. But none of them were more important than the final one that led to the game-winning goal by Barnes.

Next up for the Golden Eagles is a RMAC Championship Game rematch with the host school, Colorado Mesa. The Golden Eagles will tangle with the Mavericks this Saturday, April 26 at 4 p.m. PT (Local time is 5 p.m. MT).

Last year, CUI caught the Mavericks off-guard and nearly knocked off the favorites. Ultimately, Colorado Mesa won 13-12 in overtime. Now CUI gets another chance to dethrone the defending RMAC champs - with even more on the line.

The winner of Saturday's playoff game will represent the RMAC Division and travel to Florida to face either Lander or Flagler from the Peach Belt. That conference clash will happen next Friday, May 2 for the chance to snag the automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA DII Men's Lacrosse Tournament.

CLICK HERE for the updated CUI men's lacrosse schedule