WATERBURY, Conn. - - A big fourth quarter carried the Wilmington University men's lacrosse team to its second Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Regular Season Championship, coming back and defeating Post, 15-10, on Saturday afternoon at LaMoy Field.
The Wildcats finished the CACC regular season with a perfect 8-0 record, improving to 9-3 overall on the season with a seven-game winning streak. It is the second CACC Regular Season Championship for the young program, with the other coming in the 2022 season when they finished 6-0 in league play and 11-4 overall.
Post (8-7, 4-3 CACC) had the lead for the bulk of the contest on Saturday, as the Wildcats didn't take their first lead until 9-8 with 14:08 to play in the fourth quarter. Post then regained a 10-9 lead with 12:04 showing on the clock in regulation, but then the Wildcats scored the final six goals of the game, retaking the lead and extending it out to the final score, 15-10.
The Eagles scored the first two goals of the game, with the game not seeing a goal until 2:22 to play in the first quarter. Logan Stinson put the Wildcats on the board late int eh quarter, finishing a feed from TJ Caton to make it 2-1.
Josh Weston and Tyler Quinn scored back-to-back goals to tie the contest, 3-3, with 3:43 to play before the half, but then the Eagles scored the final two goals before the break to a 5-3 lead into the lockerroom.
The teams traded the first four goals of the third quarter with Stinson and Jacob Herman scoring for the Wildcats. An Eagle goal saw them take a 7-5 lead with 5:02 to play. Miles Crouse scored a wrap-around goal and then Logan Stinson added another to make it 7-7 with 1:44 showing on the clock. The Eagles answered with a man-up goal, taking an 8-7 lead into the fourth quarter.
Stinson and Caton scored man-up goals to start the fourth, giving the Wildcats their first lead of the game. The Eagles answered with back-to-back goals and regained a 10-9 lead with 12:04 to play. TJ Caton retied the game and then Stinson finished a feed from Crouse to give the Wildcats the 11-10 lead with 8:58 to play. Josh Weston, Miles Crouse, Stinson, and Caton all added goals down the stretch to put the Eagles away and extend the lead out to 15-10.
Logan Stinson led the offense with six goals and two assists while TJ Caton scored three goals while adding three assists and two ground balls. Miles Crouse and Jose Weston finished with two goals and an assist each. Daniel Flynn made 13 saves in the victory.
The Wildcats will host a CACC Tournament Semifinal game on Wednesday, May 1 at 3:30 p.m., but they first close out the regular season with a nonconference game against Molloy on Friday afternoon at the WU Athletics Complex. The team will celebrate Senior Day on Friday, with the first face-off scheduled for 3:00 p.m.