Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Two days after scoring the emotional game winner in the final seconds to beat rival Utah in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association national quarterfinals, BYU leading scorer Chris Severson drilled a goal into the upper 90 to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead over Michigan State.
The lead didn’t last, though.
No. 7 BYU got hat tricks from Severson and Chandler Wescott, but the No. 3 Spartans used a second-half scoring spree to cruise to a 12-7 victory Thursday night at Salt Lake’s Regional Athletic Complex.
Brett Braun and Charlie Pistner each finished with three goals to lead the Spartans (17-1), who advanced to face top-ranked Chapman in their first-ever MCLA championship game appearance Saturday at 2:30 p.m. MDT.
“They have a high-powered offense, and we have a high-powered defense,” Michigan State coach Cam Holding said. “We had a great game plan, and the guys just executed it.”
Severson scored the first goal of the match, finishing off an assist from teammate Harry Waddoups for his 41st goal of the season in the sixth minute of play for the 1-0 advantage.
But the Cougars (16-4) never led by more than one goal.
Michigan State’s Jay Warren scored six minutes later to lead the teams into a 1-1 tie at the first-quarter break, but BYU didn’t go away. Wescott scored off a dish from Connor Bernal behind the goal, and BYU took a 3-2 lead on Severson’s second goal with 7:59 left in the half.
But it was the last goal the Cougars would make.
Michigan State scored the go-ahead goal through Bennett Osterink with 16 seconds left in the half, then used a 6-1 sprint through the third quarter to pull away for good.
Pistner netted the final goal of the quarter with 4:10 remaining that gave the Spartans a 10-4 advantage as thunderstorms loomed over the west end of the Salt Lake Valley, and Michigan State cruised into its first-ever MCLA championship game, where they will face top-ranked Chapman at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the RAC.
“The fast day in practice, you go in, sit down for a team meeting and discuss your goals. We wanted to win a national championship,” Braun said of the Spartans. “It’s a surreal moment to be in this position right now.”
The four-time national champion Cougars upended reigning champion Grand Canyon 14-11 in the tournament’s opening round, then stunned No. 2 Utah 10-9 on a last-second game winner by Severson in Tuesday’s quarterfinals.
