LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Concordia Wisconsin men's lacrosse team flipped the script in a big way on Wednesday afternoon, storming back to snag a clutch Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) victory at Lake Forest. The Falcons pushed their record to 10-1 overall and 4-1 in league play with a 13-10 takedown, while the Foresters slipped to 4-2 in the NACC.
Lake Forest came out hot, jumping to a 3-0 lead and setting the early tone. But Concordia wasn't about to stay quiet for long.
Senior Preston Meier (Owatonna, Minn.) finally broke through with 2:50 left in the opening quarter, trimming the deficit to 4-1 heading into the second.
That's when the momentum flipped on the cold afternoon in Illinois.
Freshman Brayden Wilson (Pueblo West, Colo.) wasted no time in the second, striking just two minutes in. After Lake Forest briefly steadied itself, the Falcons unleashed a five-goal avalanche to close the half. Freshman Blane Vrana (Monument, Colo.) and junior Bryce Petersen (Waukesha, Wis.) each buried a pair, while sophomore Jackson Knutson (Roseville, Minn.) joined the scoring spree. Petersen's buzzer-beater with six seconds left—set up by freshman Gaje Germundson (Nisswa, Minn.)—gave Concordia a 7-4 lead and all the momentum heading into the break.
The Falcons kept their foot on the gas in the third, with Wilson and Meier striking again early. Lake Forest clawed back with three straight goals to make it a game at 9-7, but Vrana had the answer, capping the quarter with a goal to restore a three-goal cushion.
In the fourth, Knutson opened the scoring off a slick feed from Meier, but the Foresters refused to go quietly, cutting the lead to 11-9 with just over seven minutes to play.
That's when the Falcons' defense slammed the door.
Concordia locked things down, forcing two turnovers and allowing just one shot that was easily handled by sophomore Nolan O'Malley (Chicago, Ill.). Meier added a dagger with under three minutes remaining, and after a brief Lake Forest response, senior Frank Trewyn (Mukwonago, Wis.) won a crucial faceoff to help Concordia bleed the clock.
Vrana put the finishing touches on the comeback with the final goal, sealing the 13-10 victory and completing the Falcons' takeover.
O'Malley anchored the win in net with 11 saves, while junior Ben Birch (Grafton, Wis.) was everywhere, scooping up seven ground balls and causing four turnovers in a dominant defensive performance.
The Falcons return home Saturday to open a two-game homestand against Dubuque—bringing plenty of momentum for a team that's hitting its stride under head coach Michael Fahey.
