Sierra Nevada Grinds Up MSU

RENO, Nev. - In the first game of a doubleheader weekend, No. 5-ranked Sierra Nevada took down the No. 11 Montana State, 7-4.

MSU started fast, taking an early 4-1 lead. Five minutes into the second quarter, the stout Eagle defense hit their stride, as the

Eagles did not allow another goal for the remainder of the contest.

Goalies Austin Farina and Eddie Erickson both had stellar days in cage. They would combine for 16 saves on the afternoon. Standout defenseman Matthew Hennis gobbled up 14 ground balls and found the back of the net early in the fourth quarter, giving the Eagles their first lead of the day. LSM Jack Witt continued his dominance between the lines with 12 ground balls.

Pacing the Eagle offense, midfielders Jake McIntyre and Quinn Nicodemus each notched three points on the afternoon. Attackman Nic Zvirzin added two goals and midfielder Drew Horton also found the back of the net. In all, five different Eagles scored.

"This was a big win for the program," said Eagle coach Matt Blamey. "We haven't always had success playing down a few goals. I am proud of our men for keeping their heads together and not panicking. Both sides of the ball had faith, remained positive, and stayed the course. There were no individual game ball winners today. This was a complete team effort from start to finish."

The Eagles have a quick turnaround with No. 2 ranked Concordia-Irvine coming to Reno on Sunday, April 9. Faceoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Damonte Ranch High School. The game will also be streamed via Facebook Live on the Eagles Official Facebook Page.