MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Centre men's lacrosse made history Sunday, claiming the program's first outright regular season conference championship in an 8-5 victory at Rhodes.
 
The Colonels improve to 9-1 overall and 5-0 in the Southern Athletic Association, officially clinching the title for themselves after splitting the honor in both 2013 and 2015. The Lynx fall to 3-3 overall and 3-1 against conference competition, falling to Centre for the first time since 2016.
 
Several individuals stood out in Centre's seventh straight win, including rookie Dylan Croft, who claimed 14 of 17 faceoffs. Two-time SAA Defensive Player of the Week, Wills McCutcheon, recorded a career-high 14 saves, as well.
 
HIGHLIGHTS
- Croft won all four faceoffs in the first quarter as Centre took an early three-goal advantage.
- Jack Shannon scored the game's first goal less than five minutes in, and Nic Malubay added two more in the quarter – including one on a man-up opportunity.
- Will Hubbs opened the scoring in the second with his SAA-leading 30th goal of the season. He would add another in response to Rhodes' first goal to make it 5-1.
- Leading 5-3 after one half, Centre scored a pair of goals within roughly 90 seconds in the third quarter. Anthony DiMichele hit the back of the net on an assist from Ridr Knowlton, and Chase Poplin scored from distance on a feed from Hubbs that made it 7-3.
- An insurance goal from Padraic Dermody in the fourth helped Centre hold on for the victory.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Croft hauled in a career-high 10 ground balls during his efficient day as Centre's faceoff specialist. The Colonels held a 32-18 advantage in GBs for the game.
- McCutcheon and the rest of the Centre defense held the Lynx to their lowest scoring output by far, and also kept Rhodes without a goal in the home team's lone man-up chance.
 
UP NEXT
Centre is off next weekend and will host the SAA Tournament the week after, beginning with the semifinals Friday, April 23.