Detroit, Mich. – The Robert Morris University men's lacrosse team used three unanswered goals between the third and fourth quarters to break a 10-10 deadlock and ultimately earn a 16-13 victory at Detroit Mercy this evening in non-conference play from Titan Field.
Robert Morris (3-2, 0-0 NEC) spoiled the first home night game in Detroit Mercy (2-3, 0-0 NEC) history, using a two-goal burst in the final 43 seconds in the first quarter to grab its first lead. The Colonials never trailed from there despite five additional deadlocks, and owned advantages in shots (42-39), shots on goal (32-22), and clear attempts (18-19 to 14-21).
Austin Popovich posted his second seven-point performance of the season, coming away with four goals and three assists. Elliot Holden scored a career-high five goals and added a helper, while Ryan Smith (3g, 1a) and Brandon Sulhoff (3g, 1a) also registered hat tricks on the evening.
On the defensive end, Smith scooped a team-best six groundballs and Evan Hellmich forced three of the Titans' 23 turnovers. Grant Koopman made his second straight start in the cage, making nine saves in 60 minutes to earn another victory.
The hosts scored two of the game's first three goals, but Smith tied it at 2-2 on a man-up chance with 44 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Trey Arnold won the ensuing faceoff to give the visitors a chance at the lead before the horn, and Jake Boudreau made that happen off a Holden feed with one second on the clock.
The Titans sandwiched Popovich's first tally with two to make it 4-4, but RMU answered with a 4-0 surge to grab its largest advantage of the contest. The senior midfielder started it with an unassisted score, then Holden converted on a man-down chance after gathering a pass from Will Johansen. Boudreau found Popovich with 2:53 left in the half to make it 7-4, and 1:13 later the freshman attackman finished from his knees to double up Detroit Mercy.
Ryan Birney scored with 21 seconds remaining in the second quarter to stop the bleeding for the Titans, sparking their own 4-0 rally to knot it at 8-8. The teams traded the next four goals to force the aforementioned 10-10 stalemate, then Popovich freed himself for his fourth goal of the night to push the Colonials back ahead. Holden added his fourth less than two minutes later to give RMU a 12-10 lead after three frames, and Smith scored 7:19 into the fourth to make it a three-goal game.
Detroit Mercy could not get closer than two goals down from there, as a pair of Sulhoff tallies helped set the final – the last coming with 51 seconds remaining after two Titans scores at 1:33 and 1:12.
The Colonials took just three penalties for a total of 2:30, while Detroit Mercy faced seven man-down situations for 5:00.
Through five games, Popovich sits just a point shy of his single-season high. He recorded 23 points (10g, 13a) in 2019 and has 22 (16g, 6a) in his final hurrah thus far.
Smith climbed to seventh all-time at RMU in goals (92) and is eight shy of becoming the fifth player to reach the 100 mark.
Robert Morris concludes a two-game road swing on Saturday, March 7 at noon (11:00 a.m. CT) against Marquette. The Colonials then return home for a three-game home stand at Joe Walton Stadium, beginning on Saturday, March 14 at 2:00 p.m. versus Northeast Conference (NEC) foe Hobart.
Follow The Colonials: Twitter | Instagram
