SALT LAKE CITY – Adams State Men's Lacrosse saw its two-game winning streak come to an end Friday afternoon in a 12-6 loss at Westminster College. The loss puts the Grizzlies record at 3-5 overall and 0-2 in the RMAC.
 
Helping the Griffins (5-6, 2-0 RMAC) earn the win at home was three goals scored in each of the first two periods while holding the Grizzlies to just one. The Grizzlies surged with five goals in the second half but the Griffins added six to counter and secure the six-goal win.
 
Westminster scored its first three goals of the game all in the first four minutes of action. The home found its rhythm early on thanks to 13 shots in the first frame with eight coming on goal. The Grizzlies managed just five shots, two of which that came on goal.
 
The Griffins extended their lead to 4-1 early in the second period with a goal in the first 2:29 of play. Defense then picked up for both squads as the score remained notched at 4-1 for the next six minutes of play.
 
Adams State found the back of the net with 6:03 on the clock when Emmitt MacFarlane scored his first of two goals in the game on an extra-man opportunity. Westminster responded three minutes later with its fifth goal of the contest to retake a four-goal lead, 5-1.
 
The sixth Griffins goal of the first half came with :08 on the clock to make it a 6-1 lead for the home team at halftime. The Griffins held an 11-6 shots advantage (7-5 SOG) in the second period to lead by five. The Griffins also had five turnovers in the first half to the Grizzlies eight to help balance their offensive and defensive attack.
 
The third period became an offensive barrage for both teams as the Grizzlies and Griffins combined for 10 goals. The shootout was reserved to the one period though as the Grizzlies added the only goal of the fourth to bring the final to 12-6.
 
Two goals in the first five minutes of the fourth extended the Griffins lead to 8-1 before the Grizzlies managed to counter. Johnny Rosas added goal No. 2 for the Grizzlies at the 9:24 mark on an assist from Kale Wilson.
 
Westminster countered quickly with a goal at the 8:41 mark of play but Wilson answered for his first goal of the game thirty second later on an assist from Kage Janes. The duo's quick score brought the score to 9-3.
 
Wilson found the back of the net for a second time on his own merit with just over seven minutes to play in the third. Rosas then scored his second goal as well with 6:40 on the clock to cut the Grizzlies deficit to four, 9-5.
 
The scoring surge for Adams State was short lived as the home team scored the next three goals of the frame to take a 12-5 lead into the fourth. The Westminster defense then made its adjustments and held Adams State to just one goal to end any thoughts of a comeback.
 
The Grizzlies momentum from the third period never transitioned to the fourth as they did not score their final goal of the contest until there was 4:51 to play in regulation. MacFarlane scored the unassisted goal to bring the final score to 12-6.
 
Wilson, Rosas, and MacFarlane all scored two goals to make up the Grizzlies offense. Wilson had three points with the help of an assist. Janes had two points for the game thanks to a team-high two assists. Goalie Connor Johnson notched 17 saves in the game which was one shy of tying his season-high.
 
Kolton Atkinson led the Griffins attack with four goals and one assist for a game-high five points. Spencer Whinery and Cole Flinders each scored two goals in the win, while Whinery also notched an assist. Sean Edwards got the win in net after tallying 10 saves.
 
The Grizzlies will look to bounce back in a short time as they are back on the field this Sunday for their final contest of the season. They take on Colorado Mesa Sunday, April 14 with the game getting underway at 11 a.m.