Waleska, GA – The eighth-ranked UC men's lacrosse team outscored (RV) Tennessee Wesleyan 11-2 over the first three quarters en route to a 14-5 final during the semifinals of the AAC Tournament.  With the win, the Patriots improve to 7-5 on the year and advance to the championship game of the AAC tournament Saturday afternoon.

Christian Vanover led the way for Cumberlands with five goals, and two assists in the game, while Dylan Crouch added four points, including three goals in the win.  Tanner Popovich and Thomas Fogarty each netted a pair of goals in the win.  Jake Morgan, Jacob Bush, and Stephen Popovich combined for 14 ground balls and four caused turnovers. Michael Toohey made 13 saves and three ground balls.

Jayvon Jamison won the initial faceoff and on the ensuing possession Vanover netted an unassisted goal to give UC a 1-0 lead.  A minute later, Vanover scooped a groundball and found Dawson Coltran for a goal to extend the lead.  UC's defense forced a pair of turnovers, which eventually led to Vanover find Tanner Popovich cutting towards the cage to make it 3-0 five minutes in.  The Bulldogs added a goal, however Toohey made three saves in the period to give Cumberlands a 3-1 advantage. 

The Patriots dominated the second quarter outshooting Tennessee Wesleyan 15-8 and outscoring them 4-0 over the period.  The action was back-and-forth over the first five minutes of the period until Chrystian Coleman connected with Crouch for a transition goal.   Fogarty and Crouch each added a goal to extend the lead to 5-1 with 4:45 remaining in the second quarter.  Jamison won the next faceoff and on that possession, Vanover netted his first of three straight goals to put UC in front 7-1 at halftime.

Cumberlands carried their momentum into the second half with Vanovers' fourth goal of the contest.  A minute later, Stephen Popovich found Crouch cutting towards the cage for a goal his third of the game extending the lead to 9-1.  Not only did that goal give the all-conference player a hattrick it was also his 100^th career goal, making him the first player in Patriots history to reach that milestone.  UC added a pair of goals from Fogarty to make it a ten goal different and help UC take an 11-2 lead into the final period.

The two teams traded goals to start the fourth quarter.  Five minutes into the quarter Dalton Smith scooped a ground ball, off of a Bulldogs turnovers, raced up field and fired home the shot making to 13-3.  Cumberlands closed out the game with Gray find Vanover for his fifth goal with 45 seconds remaining for the 14-5 final.

The Patriots will return for the championship game tomorrow when they face top-seed and top-ranked Reinhardt.  The game is set for 1 p.m. with live video available here and live stats available here.

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