Williamsburg, KY – Dylan Crouch tied a program record dishing out a career-high six assists, while Jake Morgan scooped 15 ground balls as the eighth-ranked UC men's lacrosse team defeated Montreat 23-7 Wednesday night at the UC Lacrosse Complex. With the win, the Patriots close out the regular season 6-5 overall and 5-2 in AAC play.

Cumberlands tallied programs records with 19 assists and 42 points in the win.

In addition to the six assists, Crouch netted three goals to tie his career-high with nine points.  Christian Vanover added five goals and three assists, while Tanner Popovich, Alex Heckler, and Thomas Fogarty all recorded hat tricks.  Dawson Coltran added four goals in the win. 

Morgan led the team with a season-high 15 ground balls and four caused turnovers.  Jayvon Jamison went 17-20 on faceoffs with four ground balls.  Stephen Popovich added two caused turnovers and three points.  In the cage the combination of Michael Toohey, Connor Owens, and Jason Mamrick combined for 12 saves in the win.

UC came out firing scoring the first 13 goals of the game over 25 minutes of action.  Crouch got the scoring going with an unassisted goal, before Tanner Popovich scored consecutive goals to make it 3-0 six minutes in.  Jamison won the ensuing faceoff as Fogarty split the defense and fired a low shot past the keeper for goal.  Forgarty and Coltran added goals, before Toohey made a pair of saves to keep the Cavaliers off the board.  T. Popovich and Crouch both connected with Vanover to add a pair of goals in the final minute of the quarter to make 8-0.

The Patriots continued their momentum into the second quarter as Popovich found Vanover open in front of the cage for a goal.  UC won the ensuing faceoff as Popovich connected with Coltran to extend it 10-0. UC added three more goals before Montreat got on the board make it 13-1 with 4:48 remaining.  The two teams traded goals to make it 14-2 at the break.

Cumberlands took advantage of a Montreat penalty as Crouch found Heckler in front of the cage for a man-up goal.  A couple of minutes later, Owens saved a Chris Jackson shot, Morgan scooped the ground ball and worked it up field to Popovich to Heckler to Crouch for the goal making it 16-2.  Montreat netted three of the next four goals, with UC getting a goal from Matthew Cessna making it 17-5.  In the closing seconds of the quarter Morgan forced turnover and found Stephen Popovich for the goal.

The Patriots closed out the game with five unanswered goals, including a pair from Heckler for the 23-7 final.  Mamrick tallied two saves in the final period.

With the win, UC clinched the second-seed in the AAC Tournament.  They will receive a first round bye and advance to semifinals, which is slated for April 23 in Waleska, Ga.

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