News|Schedule / Results|Roster|Coaches|

Mustangs outrun Seawolves

Box Score

Apr. 10, 2012

By Casimir Morawski           

            Rohnert Park, CA -  Coming off a three game sweep of Texas in which Sonoma extended their win streak to five-games over a barbeque and lacrosse filled Spring Break, the Seawolves returned home to face Western Collegiate Lacrosse League rival Cal Poly on Saturday. The Mustangs, ranked #1 in the April 3 Nike MCLA Coaches Poll, have won the WCLL the past three seasons.

            “I look forward to this game every year. Obviously, every team wants a shot at the defending league champs,” Junior Kyle Riddle said, “and it makes it that much more important when they are the number one team in the nation.” Riddle, the Seawolves leading point scorer, played for Cal Poly his freshman year.

            After a well-fought battle by the underdog Seawolves, a turnover-filled second half proved to be too much to   overcome as Cal Poly’s high-powered offense shifted into high gear and helped the Mustangs pull out a 13-9 win.

“They are the #1 team in the nation for a reason, and the played like it,” Head coach Doug Carl said, “Our collective will to win was there, but not for 60 minutes.”

            The Mustangs showed why they deserve the top ranking right out of the gates, scoring just 11 seconds into the game. However, the boys in blue responded with two goals by midfielders Connor Kuenhle and Ryan Heidrich. Cal Poly would net one more and the 1^st quarter would end with the score knotted at two.

            The second quarter belonged to the Wolves as a Zach Blackman goal on a drive from X and a Casimir Morawski unassisted fast break goal highlighted a frame that would give the home team a 5-4 lead going into the halftime locker room. 

            However, the Mustangs attack, ranked by InsideLacrosse.com as the best unit in the nation, would not be outdone, and dialed up a four-goal run to turn the Seawolf halftime lead into a three-goal, third quarter deficit. Sonoma would respond with a late Kuehnle tally, and would head into the final act down by two goals.

            After spotting the Mustangs a goal early in the fourth-quarter, Sonoma’s offense would answer with a Blackman man-up goal and a Heidrich top-shelf twine-ripper to bring the Seawolves to within one four minutes into the final frame. However, that would be the closest the Seawolves would get, as they would surrender four late goals and lose 13-9.

            “We made too many key errors in the second half,” Carl said “As a coach, I would rather my team lose by four fighting hard for a win, rather than rolling over and losing by two.”

            The loss drops the Seawolves to 6-2 overall (2-1 in the WCLL), while Cal Poly extends their winning streak to nine games and move to 13-1 (3-0 WCLL). The Seawolves will welcome WCLL opponent, the Stanford Cardinal on Saturday, April 14. Faceoff is at 1pm.