by Lucas Ailport | MCLA.us

MISSOULA, Mont. -- The College of Idaho defeated Montana, 17-8, in the Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League (PNCLL) Division II championship game on Sunday morning at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

The Yotes earn an automatic qualifying berth to the 2019 MCLA National Championships powered by Under Armour, which will be held in Salt Lake City from May 6-11.

COI finished regular and postseason play with an overall record of 12-0. Montana has a slim chance of an at-large bid, as the Grizzlies finished with an overall record of 9-6.

Most Valuable Player honors went to College of Idaho freshman Casey Davies, who scored eight goals in the championship win. He was also named PNCLL Offensive Player of the Year with 90 points this season.

Both teams started off even, until College of Idaho went on a 6-2 run in the first quarter. Davies kicked the scoring off for the Yotes when a loose ball rolled his way. Tyler Sanchez scored the next two goals for the Yotes, one coming on a man-up opportunity.

Montana found themselves with a man-up and freshman Sean Anderson found the back of the net to bring it to 3-1. Davies and Sanchez scored the next two goals for COI. Sophomore Parker Swank picked up a loose ball and scored with a second left in the first quarter.

The score was 6-2 at the start of the second and Montana held its own defensively by only allowing three goals in the second quarter. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies couldn’t pull the trigger late in the second quarter with the offensive pressure it applied.

Montana answered with two third quarter goals. Trent tubbs found Aidan Larson for his first goal of the game. Later, on the man-up, Hayden Smith found Nate Hanold on the doorstep to bring the score to 9-4.

Hank Ontiveros found the back of the net with a 1:30 left in the quarter for the Yotes before Anderson responded with 30 seconds left to put the score at 10-5 after three quarters.

The Grizzlies kicked off the scoring once again the fourth, this time by Generoso with a nice spin move around his defender. The Yotes answered back with two goals by Ryan Henning and Davies. Hayden Smith and Anderson scored back-to-back goals and reduced the score to only four.

College of Idaho continued to drive forward and scored five unanswered goals to cap of the 17-8 win.

The Yotes will find out their seed at nationals this evening when the selection committee releases the bracket on MCLA.us.

2019 PNCLL Division II Tournament
(Missoula, Mont. – University of Montana)

First Round – April 26
#2N Central Washington d. #3S Southern Oregon, 13-5
#2S Western Oregon d. #3N Gonzaga, 16-13

Semifinals – April 27
#1S College of Idaho d. #2N Central Washington, 22-7
#1N Montana d. #2S Western Oregon, 21-8

Finals – April 28
#1S College of Idaho d. #1N Montana, 17-8