USAFA, Colo. – The [10/5] University of Denver men's lacrosse team got five goals from graduate student Ethan Walker and two apiece from Jackson Morrill and Jack Hannah to defeat [RV/-] Air Force 15-6 on Saturday night inside the Holaday Athletic Center.
 
Turning Point:
Riley Curtis broke a 2-2 tie with 3:32 to go in the first quarter to kick-start a 10-1 Denver run that ran through the third quarter. The 10-1 run was Denver's 20^th such run under head coach Bill Tierney.
 
Inside the Box Score:
Walker led Denver with seven points on five goals and two assists, and his new attack partner Morrill added two goals and four helpers to give the duo 13 combined points. From the midfield, Hannah finished with two goals and two assists. Denver had nine different goal scorers in the win.
 
Alec Stathakis finished 17-for-21 from the faceoff dot with 13 ground balls. Jack DiBenedetto and Colin Squires led Denver defensively with two caused turnovers apiece. Danny Logan, DiBenedetto and Hannah had three ground balls each to lead the non-faceoff men for the Pioneers.
 
Sophomore Jack Thompson reached double-digit saves for the fourth time in his career (10), against four goals allowed.
 
Denver outshot Air Force 58-35, and its ride forced the Falcons into nine failed clears in 21 attempts.
 
First Quarter:
Walker answered an early Air Force goal with his eighth of the season to tie things at 1-1 with 10:56 to go in the opening quarter. Lucas Cotler converted on Denver's first man-up chance of the night to make it 2-1 Pioneers. After August Johnson got an empty-netter off the Denver ride, Curtis and Walker closed out the first quarter scoring to give the Pioneers 4-2 edge 15 minutes in.
 
Second Quarter:
Walker completed his hat trick 16:03 into the context with his 10^th of the campaign off a beautiful feed from Morrill.
 
On the 2021 debut for Alex Simmons, he made it 6-2 with 10:02 to go; and Hannah, Morrill and Schuyler Blair closed out the first half scoring to send Denver into the intermission with a 9-2 lead.
 
Third Quarter:
Denver outscored Air Force 3-1 in the third courtesy of a goal from Morrill and two from Walker. The Pioneers ride was the story of the third quarter. After Air Force went 8-10 in the first half with two goals off the Denver ride, the Pioneers turned up the heat, forcing six failed clears in seven attempts in the third.
 
Fourth Quarter:
Hannah, Ellis Geis and Johnny Marrocco scored for Denver in the fourth to push the lead to 15-4 before Air Force scored the final two of the game in the final 2:35.
 
Significant Stats:

• Saturday's game was originally scheduled to be played Saturday afternoon at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium but was moved due to the single-digit temperature in the forecast on Saturday.
• Walker's hat trick was the 29^th in his career.
  • Walker's five goals brought his career total up to 154, one behind fellow Canadian Mark Matthews for second on Denver's all-time list.
  • Walker's two assists brought his career total to 81, one off Alex Demopoulos school record of 82 career assists.

 
Up Next: The University of Denver men's lacrosse team, presented by Your Front Range Toyota Stores, will hit the road again on February 20 when the Pioneers open BIG EAST play at Marquette. Faceoff is set for 10 a.m. MT.
 
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For the latest University of Denver updates on the coronavirus, click here.
 
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