On Saturday, May 16th, the MEL Varsity boys headed to Sandpoint, Idaho, for a game against Sandpoint High School. The boys from Missoula came off the bus looking strong, jumping out to a 4-0 lead to start the game on top of some excellent ball movement in the transition game. Midfielders Matt Gosselin (JR, Big Sky) and Coty Becker (SO, Sentinel) were all over the field and dominated on the ground, with Gosselin recording a team-high 9 groundballs and Becker registering 6 on the day. Long stick midfielder Dillon Linhart (JR, Loyola) recorded his first goal ever on a rocket shot from the outside during the second quarter which ignited the MEL sidelines and took the team to a 5-3 lead going into halftime. Both teams battled hard in the second half and the MEL boys did a great job showing composure as the contest started to become a bit chippy. Defender Dale Hooker (JR, Hellgate) and Goaltender Rian Tuttle (JR, Hellgate) both contributed solid second half performances, especially in the 4th quarter. With 1 minute to play and a 1 goal lead, the MEL team was flagged for a crosscheck and the defense came up huge to stop the Sandpoint EMO and preserve the team’s first victory in program history with the 9-8 win over Sandpoint! Attackman Lance Altmaier (JR, Hellgate) lead the team in scoring with 3 goals on the day, followed by Midfielder Trevor Johnson (SO, Sentinel) who had 2 goals. Midfielders Matt Gosselin, Coty Becker, and Cody Branson (SO, Big Sky) each earned themselves a goal and assist on the day, while Attackman Dane Kuhn (JR, Hellgate) and Midfielder Colter Lear (JR, Hellgate) each chipped in an assist. Goaltender Rian Tuttle had another solid game in net, registering 8 saves on the day.

Thanks to Sandpoint for hosting another great day of lacrosse in the Pacific Northwest, we look forward to playing your teams again soon! Thanks also to the parents who made the trip to Idaho, see you at the Jamboree on May 30th in Missoula!