Utes Down Buffs, Take First Overall in RMLC
For Immediate Release—University of Colorado Lacrosse
March 23, 2010
BOULDER, Colo.—The University of Utah’s dynamic defensive strategy played a key role in its 9-6 upset of No. 10 Colorado late Monday night. While the Buffaloes struggled getting settled in the offensive zone, Utah was able to take advantage of turnovers and errors in Colorado’s passing and ground ball game.
Utah’s Mark Manning highlighted the Utes’ offense with four goals and an assist, while the Buffs’ offense was met by a defense that shut it down most of the night. Utah goaltender Alex Watanawekin stood out in particular, stopping CU’s offense cold most of the night on its rare opportunities in the Utah zone. Colorado simply could not get anything done offensively, being plagued early by poor passing, followed by losing the majority of the ground ball and man-ball situations, resulting in the lopsided possession in favor of the Utes.
“Utah did a good job of holding onto the ball most of the game,” head coach Pete Stevenson commented after the game. “They were on offense about three quarters of the game. We probably had it for 10 minutes total, almost all our goals came in transition, and very few came on six on six. We weren’t able to get settled with the way they pressured out.”
Freshman Doug Lilburne was responsible for half of Colorado’s scores throughout the night and completed the hat trick late in the second half, but his effort wasn’t enough to mount a comeback. Often, CU could only find opportunities to score by making action behind the net, where Lilburne and junior James Blackburn do what they do best: wrap around and shoot point blank. However, Utah read the play time after time, and when the Utah poles couldn’t turn away the two attackman, Watanawekin was between the pipes to deny their shots.
Blackburn would only tally one goal during the contest. The Buffs’ final two goals came early and late in the game during a transition courtesy of Nick Kupcewicz and Kyle Driver.
With the win in Boulder, Colo., Utah improves to 6-1 and first place overall in the RMLC. Despite several blowout games to Division II teams, Utah has proved Monday night that it can get the job done just as easily against Division I opponents. Next up for the Utes is Colorado State, which is currently ranked No. 3 in the country. The win over CU gives the Utes the momentum they need to go into Ft. Collins, Colo. and hand the Rams their first loss of the season.
Colorado drops to .500 at 2-2 and sits in the RMLC’s basement at sixth place. They will travel Tuesday to Orange County, Calif., where they will face No. 22 Loyola Marymount Wednesday night and wrap up Friday versus No. 2 Chapman.
However, the team isn’t concerned with its opponents at the time being, as it is more focused on getting back in appropriate playing form since it knows it will take a bigger effort and less mistakes to come out of the weekend with victories.
Lilburne was quoted after the game on the team’s performance on the field and on how it missed several easy passes, ground balls and shots: “It’s just fundamentals, the team needs to be into it. Even away/after practice when Pete isn’t here, we need to be practicing. If we want a national championship, this is what we have to do.”
