ROUND ROCK, Texas – No. 2 St. Thomas built a four-goal lead in the third quarter – the largest margin of the game – and fought off an inspired run from No. 3 Grand Valley State to post a 10-8 victory in the second D-II semifinal of the 2024 MCLA National Championships presented by New Balance.

St. Thomas (18-2) advances to the Division II championship game on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex where the Tommies will play No. 4 Montana State.

The first half was a series of methodical, two-goal runs for both teams, resulting in a four-all tie after 30 minutes.

St. Thomas opened with a 2-0 lead thanks to a goal and an assist from Maddox Olson. Over the next five minutes, Grand Valley State (17-2) clawed back to a tie thanks to goals from Colin Davis and Ryan Phyle.

Maddox closed the first and opened the second with markers to hand the Tommies a two-goal edge once again. Over the final five minutes of the half, Bryce Gordan worked inside for a GVSU goal and Caden Adkins delivered a beautiful pole goal to send the two teams into the half all square.

The teams traded goals six seconds apart to open the third before St. Thomas went on its decisive run. Jack Stone fed Mason McCardle for a goal before Nick Getchman delivered four minutes later to increase the margin to 7-5.

Just 18 seconds after that, Jacob Drews came down the alley all alone to increase the lead to 8-5. Five minutes later, Cam Gelling ended the four-goal skein with a near-side bomb to balloon the lead to 9-5.

With the game threatening to get out of hand, GVSU responded once again. Luke Tardich fed Ethan Mate from X for a near-pipe marker with 1:25 left in the third followed by a Jack Gualtieri alley dodge 33 ticks later to trim the margin to 9-7.

The first nine minutes of the fourth resulted in no goals, but the Lakers finally broke the drought and drew to within 9-8 when Nickolas Raptis converted a feed from Stephen Koenigsknect.

At the 4:20 mark of the final frame, Grand Valley had a prime chance to tie the affair, but Tommies’ goalie Gunner Arens stabbed the attempt out of the air to preserve the lead. It was one of 12 saves for Arens.

Sam Leuthner buried an insurance goal for the Tommies with 2:06 remaining, resulting in the 10-8 final.

Olson led St. Thomas with three goals and an assist.

Tardich paced the Lakers with three assists while Gordon finished with a pair of goals. GVSU goalie Keegan Greene had 16 saves in the losing effort.