Congratulations to the Men’s Lax – NCAA Champs!

May 28th, 2012 by The Professor

Winslow Townson - Getty Images

Making their first final round NCAA Men’s Lacrosse appearance since 1990, when current Coach Charley Toomey was the Hounds goalie, against the University of Maryland, Loyola set a number of NCAA records.  After going down 3-2 early in the game, Loyola turned the tide shutting out Maryland for more than 40 minutes and scoring 7 unanswered goals.  In the process, Eric Lusby broke the NCAA post-season record netting his 17th goal in the decisive crushing of the Terps, and set a school season record with 54 goals.  Loyola, who started the season unranked, also tied the record for most wins in a season (18) with Duke, and is the smallest school to ever win the NCAA Division 1 title.  If not for a pesky overtime goal by Johns Hopkins, Loyola would have finished the season undefeated and with the record of 19 wins.  We’ll work on that for next year.

Goalie Jack Runkel saved 7 shots to keep the Hounds on top while they pummeled the Terps, in the process setting another record for the fewest goals ever allowed in the NCAA championship game.  Hounds goals came from Justin Ward, Davis Butts, Eric Lusby (4), Pat Byrnes, Phil Dobson, and Mike Sawyer.

This is the first Division 1 title ever won by Loyola, and only the second national title (the other was 1976 Division 2 Men’s Soccer).  It’s also the first time any East Coast Athletic Conference team has sat atop the NCAA as champions.

Without question, the best moment of ESPN’s coverage though was this: