DANVILLE, Ky.- On Sunday afternoon, Centre men's lacrosse hosted the Tigers for the 2023 SAA Men's Lacrosse Championship game. In what proved to be an intense showing for both squads, the SAA Regular Season Champions, Centre College, claimed their second trophy of the year, the tournament championship trophy. The Colonels downed the Tigers by a score of 10-9 in the game's final minute with a goal from Ridr Knowlton, the assist coming from Max Speers. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS
- The first quarter's scoring opened with a Sewanee goal five minutes in. In what prpved to be a low scoring period, the Colonels collected the other goal when Paxton Brown ripped one in from up top, tying the game at 1-1.
- Will Hubbs stormed into the second quarter with a diving goal just seconds in. The Tigers quickly repossessed the lead with a 3-0 run, moving the score to 4-2 in their favor. Ridr Knowlton collected the next goal after Holden Techet forced a turnover giving Centre the possession. Sewanee continued their offensive runs, laying in three unanswered goals. Ryan Black closed the first half's scoring with a buzzer beater shot, improving the score to 7-4 entering the break. 
- Out of halftime, the game's momentum changed when Hubbs placed the first of four unanswered Centre goals. Speers claimed two of those goals while Black placed the final of the four. Sewanee closed the period with a late goal to tie the game at even 8's entering the final session. 
- Less than a minute into the fourth quarter, Brown set-up Speers for Centre's eighth goal, and the lead. Sewanee would later tie the game with less than three minutes remaining. With just 25 seconds left in the 2023 SAA Men's Lacrosse Championship, Max Speers connected with Ridr Knowlton for the go-ahead goal, handing Centre the Conference Championship Title.  
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-Speers fronted the Colonels in goals with four. Knowlton, Black, and Hubbs had three apiece while Brown laid in one. 
-Centre out-shot their opponents 44-33, landing ten to their nine. 
-On defense, Graham Robbins forced a game high of three caused turnovers. 
-In goals, Sammy Zickel amassed 11 saves and led Centre to 16-19 completed clears. 
-The Colonels dominated on groundballs, taking 42 to the Tigers' 29. Alex Mozingo collected a team high of 12. On the face-off, the senior held Sewanee to just ten wins. 
- The 2023 SAA Men's Lacrosse Championship game was the third championship contest in-a-row that was held at Centre. Each tournament taking place on a different facility, Ferris Stadium (2021), South Turf (2022), and Andy Frye Stadium (2023). 
 

NEXT UP
The Centre men's lacrosse team will enter to 2023 DIII NCAA Men's Lacrosse National Tournament. The selection show will take place on Sunday, May 7th, at 9 p.m. ET. For all schedule updates, head over to CentreColonels.com. 
 
2023 SAA MEN'S LACROSSE ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM
Tournament MVP - Will Hubbs - Centre
Ryan Black - Centre
Alex Mozingo – Centre
Max Speers – Centre
Jack Selner – Sewanee
Greg Ix – Sewanee
Luke Valentine – Sewanee 
Drew Downes – Rhodes
Kyle Winter – BSC
Maximus LaMendola – Hendrix
Rob Mareski - Berry