FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Colorado State’s Senior Night ended with a tough loss as BYU pulled away for a 20-9 victory over the Rams on April 11 at Canvas Stadium.
The game brought two of the top programs in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference together, but the No. 1-ranked Cougars quickly established control.
BYU scored four goals in the opening quarter and added six more in the second to take a 10-1 lead into halftime. Colorado State struggled to find its rhythm early, while the Cougars continued to create chances and take advantage of their opportunities.
The Rams responded after halftime, putting together their best stretch of the night in the third quarter. Colorado State scored six goals in the period, cutting into BYU’s lead and giving the home crowd something to cheer about.
BYU, however, answered with seven goals in the fourth quarter to close the door on any potential comeback.
Despite the result, the night remained an important one for Colorado State. The Rams recognized six graduating seniors before the game, giving them an opportunity to be honored in front of the home crowd.
The loss also came against a BYU team that would go on to finish the season as the MCLA Division I national champion. The Cougars finished 20-1 and defeated Virginia Tech 16-13 in the national championship game on May 9.
For Colorado State, the Senior Night loss was a difficult ending to the home portion of the regular season, but the Rams still had postseason opportunities ahead.
BYU’s performance showed why it was considered one of the nation’s best teams throughout the season. Colorado State fought back after a difficult first half, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
In the end, the 20-9 score told the story of a game that belonged to BYU early and stayed in the Cougars’ control until the final whistle.
