LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In a high-scoring thriller yesterday in Louisville, the Spalding University men's lacrosse team secured a hard-fought 19-17 victory over Heidelberg University. The win was powered by a historic individual offensive performance and absolute dominance at the faceoff "X."
Guzman Leads the Charge
The story of the game was junior attacker
Nicolas Guzman, who put on a clinic with a staggering 9 goals and 2 assists for an 11-point performance. Guzman was the engine of the Golden Eagles' offense, scoring at critical moments to halt Heidelberg's momentum throughout the afternoon.
Joining Guzman in the scoring surge was
Giovanni Distasio, who netted 5 goals of his own.
Jontae Johnson and
Daniel Curran each added 2 goals and 2 assists, providing the depth needed to outpace the Student Princes.
Teater Dominates the "X"
While the goals made the highlights, the game was won in the trenches by
Eli Teater. Teater turned in one of the most dominant faceoff performances of the season, winning 30 of 39 faceoffs and vacuuming up 12 ground balls. His ability to grant Spalding nearly continuous possession was the difference-maker, particularly during the Golden Eagles' massive second-quarter run.
Game Recap
The game didn't start in Spalding's favor. Heidelberg jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first quarter, led by Rayce Septer and Colin Parker. Spalding managed to settle in late in the frame, trailing 4-3 heading into the second.
The second quarter was the turning point. The Golden Eagles exploded for 9 goals in the period. Trailing 6-3, Spalding ignited a 6-0 run—featuring a hat trick from Distasio and two from Guzman—to take a 9-6 lead. By halftime, Spalding had flipped the script to lead 12-9.
Heidelberg refused to go away quietly, matching Spalding goal-for-goal in the second half. The Student Princes trimmed the lead to just two goals on several occasions, but Guzman and the Spalding offense always had an answer. In the fourth quarter, Guzman scored three insurance goals to help withstand a late 3-goal flurry from Heidelberg.
Defensively, goalkeeper
John Kelly stood tall under pressure, recording 15 saves to secure the win.
Stat Leaders
