Salt Lake City, Utah - The Concordia University Irvine Golden Eagles men's lacrosse battled until the final minutes but came up just short in an 11–9 road loss to Westminster Griffins men's lacrosse on Thursday night.
Despite the result, the Golden Eagles delivered a strong start and showed resilience throughout, competing toe-to-toe with one of the top teams in the conference.
CUI came out firing in the opening quarter, jumping to a commanding 4–1 lead behind a dominant offensive stretch. Jack Lepore set the tone early, scoring three first-quarter goals, while Jeremy Barnes added another to give Concordia early control.
The Golden Eagles continued their momentum into the second quarter, extending the lead to 6–1 after goals from Erik Hollis and Lepore. Concordia's aggressive play and efficient scoring kept Westminster on its heels through much of the first half.
Westminster responded late in the second quarter and carried that momentum into the third, but CUI remained composed. Hollis added his second goal of the game early in the third to keep Concordia in front, highlighting the team's ability to answer key runs.
Lepore delivered a standout performance, finishing with six goals on the night and leading all scorers. Hollis contributed two goals, while Barnes added one, as the Golden Eagles offense consistently found opportunities against a tough Westminster defense.
Trailing late in the fourth quarter, Concordia showed its fight once again. Lepore scored twice in a key stretch to tie the game at 9–9, putting the Golden Eagles in position for a potential comeback victory.
Although Westminster regained the lead in the closing minutes, CUI's effort never wavered. The Golden Eagles continued to push offensively and apply pressure until the final whistle, demonstrating their competitiveness and ability to challenge top opponents.
With the loss, Concordia moves to 5–6 overall and 3–3 in conference play, but the performance highlighted the team's offensive firepower and resilience. The Golden Eagles will look to build on their strong start and late-game fight as they continue conference play.
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