SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A thrilling fourth period performance helped carry a motivated Concordia University Irvine men's lacrosse team past nationally-ranked Colorado Mesa on Saturday.

The 10-7 come-from-behind victory for the Golden Eagles marks the first win for Concordia over Colorado Mesa in eight tries since joining the NCAA DII ranks.

After playing things close to the vest in the first half, the game was tied at 4-4 at intermission. Ranked No. 17 in D2, CMU came out firing in the third period and grabbed a seemingly commanding 7-4 lead heading into the final stanza.

But the Green and Gold had other plans.

Jack Lepore and Noah Pillow each cashed in once to trim the deficit to 7-6 less than three minutes into the fourth. Jeremy Barnes then scored the equalizer before Matt Carresi scored what wound up being the game-winner.

After nearly seven minutes of scoreless action, Alex Torgesen fed Barnes for a key insurance goal before Lepore topped it off with the exclamation point with under two minutes to play.  

CUI outscored Colorado Mesa 6-0 in the fourth to stun the Mavericks and claim the victory. Freshman goalie Brody Woods was rewarded for his efforts as he and the CUI defense refused to allow a single goal in the final period.  Woods made 13 saves and improved his record in the cage to 5-2 in his first collegiate season.

Lepore led the way with four goals in all as he continues to emerge as a crucial part of Concordia's evolving offense. Dawson Loudermilk won 6 of 11 opportunities in the face off X and also scored once. Barnes finished with two goals and an assist for three points while Carresi had both one goal and one helper.

CUI has now rattled off four straight victories and secured the No. 3 seed in the upcoming RMAC Tournament.  The Golden Eagles had also beaten Adams State earlier this week in another comeback during this short road trip to Salt Lake to play a pair of neutral RMAC games.

The reward for this huge breakthrough victory? A rematch with the very same Mavericks next week.

Colorado Mesa will be the No. 2 seed and face the Golden Eagles again on Friday, April 24 at 6 p.m. PT (which is 7 p.m. local MT in Utah).  The winner advances to face either top-seeded Westminster who is hosting the tournament, or No. 4 seed Northwest Nazarene.

CLICK HERE for the full CUI men's lacrosse schedule