BIRMINGHAM, Mich. The No. 19 University of Denver men’s lacrosse team fell to No. 10 Ohio State 15-8 in the second semifinal of the inaugural Great Western Lacrosse League Tournament Friday night.

 

Ohio State (10-4, 4-1) advances to face Notre Dame in the GWLL Tournament championship on Sunday. The Fighting Irish defeated Quinnipiac 10-6 in the first semifinal.

 

Denver (10-6, 4-1) was led by freshman GWLL Newcomer of the Year Jamie Lincoln (St. Cathariens, Ontario), who had three goals in the loss.

 

The Buckeyes took a 7-1 lead after the first period. Ohio State scored just 1:05 into the game before freshman Emerson Eichler (New Vernon, N.J.) scored for the Pioneers. Sophomore Charley Dickenson (Dallas, Texas) assisted on the goal.

 

Ohio State went on to score six straight goals in the remaining13:01 of the first period. With 1:40 remaining, sophomore Peyton Tyrie (Greenwood Village, Colo.) relieved junior Austin Konkel (Aurora, Colo.) in net for DU.

 

The second period saw OSU score a pair of goals before junior Cliff Smith (Surrey, B.C.) scored on a pass from sophomore Ben Wahler (Denver, Colo.) midway through the period.

 

The Pioneers headed into the intermission trailing the Buckeyes 10-4 after Lincoln scored a pair of goals in the final minute of the period. Ohio State scored three third period goals to take a 13-4 lead heading into the final quarter.

 

Denver outscored Ohio State four to two in the fourth quarter with goals by Wahler, Lincoln, Charley Dickenson, and sophomore John Dickenson (Dallas, Texas), but the Buckeyes held on for the 15-8 semifinal victory.

 

Tyrie recorded six saves while Konkel had one for the Pioneers, and Stefan Schroder had 14 for Ohio State. Brandon Freeman also saw time in net for the Buckeyes.

 

The winner of the GWLL Tournament will earn an automatic berth to the NCAA National Tournament, and the Pioneers will learn of their NCAA Tournament fate during Sunday night’s selection show.