LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Bellarmine lacrosse team appeared to be en route to their first-ever win over Atlantic Sun conference foe Utah Saturday afternoon at Owsley B. Frazier Stadium, but a 12-4 run by the visitors boosted them to a 14-13 win.
 
"I am really proud of the effort of our players and the compete level they displayed for 60 minutes," said Bellarmine head coach Andy Whitley. "I am proud of [coaches] Nicholas Marks, Mike Ondrusek and Jackson Draper for preparing and implementing a game plan that put our team in position to win the game. Unfortunately for us, Utah made a couple of more plays and got a couple of more bounces which allowed them to win the game."
 
The Knights (4-4, 0-1 ASUN) came out hot and led 9-2 with 3:33 left in the first half, but the Utes (3-3, 1-0 ASUN) persisted.
 
Utah began clawing their way back into the game with two goals in the final two minutes of the first half and won the third quarter 4-3. They trailed 12-8 entering the fourth before scoring the first five goals of the final frame to take a 13-12 lead with 3:52 left. Bellarmine responded with a Christian Della Rocco goal to tie the game at 13 with 1:45 left.
 
Bellarmine won the ensuing faceoff, but turned the ball over with under 80 seconds left. After a timeout, Utah was able to drain the clock until Ryan Stines netted his fifth goal of the day with three seconds left to lift the Utes to a one-goal win.
 
"We put together a terrific defensive performance for a majority of the game, but Ryan Stines did what great players will sometimes do and he put Utah on his back and carried them across the finish line," Whitley said.
 
Utah remains undefeated over Bellarmine at 8-0 since the programs began their series in 2019.
 
John Alie led the way offensively for the Knights. He scored four time to extend his ASUN-leading goal total to 21. He also added an assist.
 
"John Alie had another super impactful game and some very crafty plays around the net," Whitley said of his sophomore attackman. "He continues to develop and is becoming a player we rely on day in and day out."
 
Della Rocco finished with three goals, moving him past Tucker Ciessau into sole possession of third-place on Bellarmine's all-time goals list with 86. It was his second hat trick of the season and the 14^th of his career.
 
Kyle Playsted inched closer to 100 career goals with a pair, plus two assists. His school-record goal total now sits at 96.
 
Benny O'Rourk extended his scoring streak to 32 consecutive games with a goal in the second quarter to put Bellarmine up 6-2. He finished with six points on two goals and four assists.
 
"Our attack continued to carry the load and I actually thought Benny got the better of the battle with Utah's best defenseman Joey Boylston, which was a key matchup," said Whitley.
 
JC Higginbotham, the two-time defending ASUN Defensive Player of the Week, surpassed 600 career saves Saturday, finishing the game with 14.
 
Aidan Fearn won 13-of-22 faceoffs (59.1 percent) to help the Knights control the ball, especially early in the game.
 
"Aidan Fearn did a nice job at the faceoff X today and allowed us to string some possessions together, particularly during the first half," Whitley said.
 
Like Stines, the Utes' MJ McMahon finished with five points, though he had one goal and dished out four assists. Goalie Colin Lenskold finished with 11 saves.
 
"It had championship-type feel to it throughout," said Whitley. "Utah is excellent at taking advantage of broken plays and scramble situations to score goals and today was no exception. There were a couple of clearing situations where we forced the ball into tight spaces and they took advantage of it."
 
Despite the loss, Whitley is confident should the Knights match up with the Utes again in the ASUN tournament.
 
"Today showed we do not have to play perfect lacrosse to beat Utah, we just have to play high level lacrosse," Whitley concluded. "The opportunities to win this game were there for us to take advantage of and I believe if we get another chance at Utah, we will respond like champions."
 
It will be a quick turnaround for Bellarmine as they travel to Macon, Ga., to face Mercer on Wednesday at 12 p.m. ET in their first ASUN road contest.
 
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