[9/10] Denver Falls to [8/8] Johns Hopkins in Season Opener 2/1/25

DENVER – The [9/10] University of Denver men’s lacrosse team opened the 2025 regular season with a 13-10 loss to [8/8] Johns Hopkins in both teams’ 2025 regular season openers on Saturday afternoon at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.

SIGNIFICANT STATS:
Mic Kelly led the Pioneers with a hat trick and a helper for a four-point afternoon. Cody Malawsky also had four points on two goals and two assists. Marek Tzagournis was Denver’s only other multi-goal scorer with a pair in the season opener.In his collegiate debut, Blake Kirschke had four ground balls and a caused turnover.Malcolm Kleban made 11 saves on 24 shots on goal.

POSTGAME NOTES:
The loss in Denver’s first in a season opener since 2012, and its first ever loss in a season opener in Colorado (13-1, 8-1 at home).

Hopkins and Denver have won two games each in the all-time series.

The Pios fell to 78-91 against ranked opponents in their Division I history, including 32-26 at home.

Denver is now 125-27 all-time at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.

Saturday’s opener marked the 62^nd sellout in stadium history, and stretched its streak of consecutive seasons with a sellout to 14-straight seasons.
Mic Kelly’s hat trick is the sixth of his career.
Cody Malawsky finished with 4+ points for the second time in his career.HOW IT HAPPENED:
First Quarter:
Joshua Carlson got Denver on the board first with 12:45 to go in the opening frame before Hopkins rattled off the next four of the opening quarter to head into the second with a 4-1 advantage.Second Quarter:
Denver scored five of the first six goals to open the second quarter and put the Pios back in-front at 6-5 in the open the second-quarter scoring with 13:44 to go in the frame. Cody Malawsky was the beneficiary of a Mic Kelly extra pass to bury his first of the season. After a Hopkins goal a minute later, Lucas Klokiw started a 3-0 Denver in the next 3:24. Following the Klokiw goal off a Malawsky feed, Mic Kelly picked out a corner to tie things back up at 6-6 before Andrew Atchison went low to give Denver its second lead of the afternoon with 5:27 to go.

Hopkins got two back to retake the lead at the break, including Russell Melendez’ goal with three seconds left to put the visitors back in-front.

Third Quarter:
After Malawsky tied the game up at 7-7, Hopkins got back-to-back-to-back goals to take its first three-goal lead of the half at 10-7 with 7:58 to play. Malawsky picked out Marek Tzagournis on the top of the crease to cut the deficit to two goals heading into the final 15 minutes of the season opener at Barton.

Fourth Quarter:
Denver’s offense couldn’t get going in the fourth, and it was Hopkins that got the first two goals of the frame to take a 12-8 lead with 3:58 to go in regulation. Kelly completed his hat trick with 2:15 to play but with Denver’s defense extended, Hopkins got it back to restore its four-goal edge with 1:00 to go. Kelly scored on Denver’s third man-up chance of the day off a feed from Manning for the final three-goal margin.

UP NEXT:
Denver will stay in Colorado but will play its first road game of the 2025 season next Saturday when the Pioneers make the short trip down I-25 to take on Air Force. Opening faceoff is set for 12 p.m. MT from Falcon Stadium, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.