By: Di Miller, Beat Writer DU Men’s Lacrosse
The NCAA DI Champions and No. 1 ranked Denver University Pioneers (7-0) hosted the Ohio State Buckeyes (5-4) at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium in front of a sold out crowd of 2,496 fans. DU had just come off their OT win over Notre Dame (9-8) on March 13; and the Buckeyes were just coming off their loss to Towson University on March 15 in OT (10-9). Last week’s victory for DU put them in the No. 1 spot over Notre Dame and they wanted to keep that No. 1 spot. They succeeded, defeating Ohio State by the score of 15-6.
The first quarter started out with Austin Shanks of OSU putting the ball into the net at 1:19 in the first. They would again score when Eric Fannell 
had an unassisted goal (9:39). DU would turn it around only 10 seconds later when Jack Bobzien, assist to Tyler Pace to bring them within one. Even though the Pioneers had back-to-back power play opportunities in the first quarter, they couldn’t capitalize and tie the game. Both goalies played tough for the remaining five minutes of the period and OSU would lead at the end of the first 2-1.
Heading into the second, it would be all DU as they would keep the Buckeyes from scoring in the second. Colton Clarkson would score unassisted at 1:48. Connor Cannizzaro, assist to Austin French less than three minutes later; Jackson would get his second of the game with 7:01 on the clock yet another unassisted goal; and Connor Donahue, assist to Cannizzaro (6:24) to close out the first half. DU would go into the locker room leading OSU 5-2.
OSU would start off the third with a goal from Ryan Hunter, assist to Austin Shanks (13:52); followed by Johnny Pearson at 10:22, another assist to Shanks. DU would see Bobzien get his second of the game at 6:45. But the Buckeyes would answer back when Trevor Hodgins would score at 5:28 with the assist again to Shanks. The fans would see almost three minutes with no scoring until Cannizzaro would get his second of the game (2:39), assist to Zach Miller for the final goal of the period. Score the end of the third DU 7—OSU 5.
The fourth quarter was all DU. Bobzien would open it up at 14:01 giving him the hat-trick, assist to Miller; followed by Nate Marano (13:53), assist to Trevor Baptiste. The Buckeyes would score only once in the final 15 minutes when JT Blubaugh would score unassisted at 13:06. The rest of the game was all Denver as they controlled the final minutes of the game, tallying up six goals to close out the win, the Pioneers 19th straight win at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. Zach Miller would get his first of the game unassisted at 8:34; followed by another unassisted goal from Colin Woolford. Cannizzaro would get the hat-trick at 5:28; followed by back-to-back goals from Brendan Bomberry (5:06 and 2:35). Jeremy Bosher would hit net for the final point of the game at 1:33. Nate Marano would get the assist on the final two goals of the game. Alex Ready of DU finished the game with six saves, and freshman David Winsor (DU) who came in with 3:08 left on the clock recorded one save and did not allow the Buckeyes to score. Final DU 15—OSU 6.
During the press conference with Coach Tierney when he was asked about the practice schedule change and how it affected the players, he explained that practices were at 9:00 a.m. each day which threw the players off a bit. He knew it wouldn’t be an easy game against Ohio who had just come off the loss against Towson only four days earlier, and said that coming off Spring Break week with schedule changes, it was a really tough week.
Post Game Notes from today’s win courtesy of DU Men’s Lacrosse:
– The Pioneers improved their winning-streak to 20 games on Saturday, winning their final 13 of the 2015 season en route to the program’s first National Championship (last loss 3/14/15 at Ohio State).
– Denver is now 45-9 as a top-5 team since turning Division I, including 9-2 as the No. 1 team in the USILA Coaches’ Poll.
– Head coach Bill Tierney (seventh season) is now 90-25 at DU and 362-118 in his career (32nd season).
– Zach Miller extended his consecutive-game point streak to 44 games (entered this weekend 2nd in the nation). Miller has 138 points (76G-62A) during that stretch. Miller has had a point in every collegiate game he has played in (missed one game in 2014).
– Connor Cannizzaro extended his consecutive-game point streak to 32 games (entered the weekend 8th in the nation). Cannizzaro has 134 points (86G-48A) in that stretch.
– Cannizzaro also extended his consecutive-game goal streak to 32 games (entered the weekend first in the country). Cannizzaro has 86 goals in that stretch.
– Sophomore Trevor Baptiste has double-digit faceoff wins in all 26 games of his collegiate career.
– Senior captain Jack Bobzien recorded his 13th career hat trick.
Denver will begin a three-game stretch away from Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium next Saturday as the Pioneers take on Penn State in the Patriot Cup in Dallas, Texas, on the campus of SMU. Faceoff is set for 11 a.m. MT and can be seen live on Lax Sports Network and Pioneer Vision.
Di Miller, Beat Writer DU Men’s Lacrosse
Lacrosse is Awesome