The Mavericks fall in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Tournament Championship as they lost 13-17 to the Griffins.
Spencer Whinery scored a game-high eight points and was named the RMAC Tournament MVP as he compiled 17 points in the tournament. He scored five goals and finished with three assists against the Mavericks to help secure the Westminster College’s (WC) second consecutive RMAC Championship.
Gabe Mein finished the game with seven points as he scored three goals and contributed four assists in the Griffins effort. Mein was named to the All-RMAC Tournament Team as he compiled 10 points through both tournament games.
“Our plan was to try to shut [Mein], and we tried it in the first quarter and we don’t even get to it. That is a lack of want, a lack of hustle, a lack of doing, and if the game plan goes out the window in the first quarter, you’re in trouble,” Head Coach Vince Smith said.
Colorado Mesa University (CMU) had four different players score three points in the game.
Redshirt freshman midfielder Trent Pernell was the lone Maverick to finish the game with a hat trick. Pernell earned a spot on the All-RMAC Tournament Team as he scored seven goals along with one assist throughout the weekend.
Redshirt junior attackman Carson Schwark and redshirt freshman attackman Jed Brummett each finished with two goals and one assist in the contest.
Redshirt freshman attackman/midfielder AJ Switzer scored the first goal of the game off a rebound the WC goalie Jordan Penn couldn’t control. Schwark picked up the groundball off the rebound, moved the ball up to Switzer, and Switzer got past his defender to rip a shot over Penn’s head.
Schwark scored his 16 goal of the season as he gave the Mavericks a two-point lead with 12:49 left in the first quarter. Jacob Pickett got the Griffins on the board as they pushed early offense off the faceoff to score 19 seconds after Schwark.
Pernell and redshirt freshman midfielder James Steinke answered with a goal of their own to put CMU up 4-1 halfway through the first quarter. The Griffin’s offense kicked into gear as they scored five unanswered goals to end the quarter with a 6-4 lead.
The Griffins kept their foot on the gas pedal as they scored nine unanswered goals to lead to 10-4 in the second quarter. Chance Beutler scored the 10 goal for WC as he capitalized on CMU’s 10-man ride as freshman goalie Joey Quinn was out of the net, Beutler fired a shot from behind the midfield line to score.
CMU’s offense got their footing again as Pernell scored two consecutive goals in the final five minutes of the first half. Brummett scored the final goal of the first half off an assist from Steinke to bring CMU within three points.
Redshirt freshman attackman/midfielder Braden Plock scored just 13 seconds into the second half as CMU pushed in transition off the opening faceoff to find Plock open on the doorstep. Both teams traded goals in the third quarter as the Griffins were able to keep the Mavericks out of striking distance in the quarter.
“They responded to anytime we went on a little mini-run, and we never were able to go on a run. So tough and unfortunate, but that’s why you play, to win and to lose,” Smith said.
Schwark struck first in the fourth quarter as he caught a pass from Brummett and used WC’s defender that was closing out as a screen to fire a shot over the head of Penn. Mein pushed the Griffins lead back to three points with 8:23 left in the game.
Freshman attackman Hunter Holcomb scored CMU’s final goal of the game as he tried to insert some energy into his team. The Griffins thwarted that effort as they scored two final goals to win their second consecutive RMAC Tournament Championship.
The Mavericks won 24 of the 34 faceoffs in the game and picked up 16 more groundballs than the Griffins in the contest.
Penn finished the game with 14 saves for the Griffins through 60 minutes of play. CMU played three different goalies, and Quinn earned the most time in net as he compiled five saves in his first RMAC Tournament Championship appearance.
“We needed it, I don’t know if we really know who our starter is yet, but when your youngest keeper goes in and controls a defense like that. That makes me excited for next fall,” Smith said.
Redshirt freshman faceoff man Colin Seedorf won 15 of the 19 faceoffs that he took in the contest. His effort earned him a spot on the All-RMAC Tournament Team.
Redshirt sophomore defender Tanner Stopkoski and Holcomb were the final two Mavericks named to the All-RMAC Tournament Team.
CMU now is on the outside looking in for an NCAA Tournament birth, and if they were to get in they would play Wednesday, May 12. If they don’t receive a birth, their next game will be in the Spring of 2022.
