The Foresters scored with 3.3 seconds remaining to edge out the University of Dubuque 10-9 on Saturday in the Midwest Lacrosse Conference Tournament final. The victory also secured a spot for Lake Forest in the 2023 NCAA Division III Tournament.
Lake Forest led for just 18 seconds of the game but it was the final 3.3 that mattered. The teams entered the final quarter tied 8-8 and the Spartans pulled ahead six minutes into the period. Both offenses created scoring opportunities but the goalies combined to turn away each of the next seven shots on goal. The Foresters finally tied the game with 1:25 remaining on sophomore Chas Dean's second goal of the day and 22nd this spring.
Freshman John O'Reilly won the ensuing faceoff, giving the home team a chance to play for a final shot. As the clock ran down, junior John Casey fit a pass into a tight window to freshman Ryan Dousevicz, who shot low and just inside the left post for the tournament-clinching goal. It was the second goal and fourth point of the game for Dousevicz, who now has 20 tallies on the year.
Six other Foresters scored once each in the contest, beginning with sophomore Bode Rubright at the 10:25 mark of the first quarter. It was his 39th of the season. Dubuque tied the score 15 seconds later and latter added three more goals in the span of the minute to pull ahead 4-1. Lake Forest sophomore defender Jack Gillard scored for the second time in 2023 but the Spartans led 5-2 at the end of the first quarter.
The 26th of the season for senior Bobby Ojascastro and the eight from freshman Grant Pedersen made it a one-goal game less than three minutes into the second quarter. After Dubuque stretched its lead to two, Casey converted a man-up opportunity for his 39th of the year and MLC Rookie of the Year Brendan Herbert's 34th tied the score with 4:28 to play in the half. The visitors, however, regained the lead 75 seconds later and were still ahead 7-6 at halftime.
Another Spartan goal early in the third made it a two-goal game again but tallies from Dean and Dousevicz late in the third tied the third and set up the dramatic final period.
Both goalies in the game were impressive, combining for 26 saves. Forester sophomore Andrew Widlar accounted for a season-high 14 of them, including six in the final quarter to earn the victory.
Lake Forest sophomore Conor Murphy picked up 11 ground balls and caused five turnovers in the game and was named the MLC Tournament Most Valuable Player.
The Foresters improved to 13-4 while Dubuque's season ends at 10-8.
Lake Forest, now the MLC's regular season and conference tournament champion, will find out when and where the team will play in the NCAA Selection Tournament during the selection show Sunday night at 8:00 on NCAA.com.
