The Loyola University Maryland men’s lacrosse team will play against Colgate in the Patriot League Championships semifinal on May 1, with the game scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. faceoff and broadcast live on CBS Sports Network.
This matchup is significant as Loyola seeks to continue its improved performance from last season, having made notable gains in wins and statistics across several categories. The Greyhounds finished last year with a record of 3-11 but have turned things around this season, highlighted by strong offensive contributions from Mason Cook, Kenan Everhart, and Matthew Minicus.
Mason Cook has scored three or more goals in 12 out of Loyola’s 14 games this year, amassing a total of 51 goals and leading the Patriot League in goals per game. The starting attack trio—Cook, Everhart, and Minicus—has accounted for over sixty percent of the team’s goals. Head Coach Charley Toomey said he is proud of his players’ achievements this season as well as the recognition received by his coaching staff: “Charley Toomey and the Loyola Coaching Staff was named the Patriot League’s William Lawson Coaching Staff of the Year, and four Greyhounds were named to the All-League teams on Monday.” Mason Cook earned first-team honors while Everhart, Luke Murphy, and Jake Wilson were selected for second-team recognition.
Loyola enters Friday’s contest holding a historical advantage over Colgate with nine wins out of twelve meetings. In their most recent encounter in February at Hamilton, New York, Cook scored eight goals to lead Loyola to a 13-11 victory after overcoming an early deficit. The teams have met once before in postseason play during the Patriot League Championships when Loyola won their first-ever tournament contest against Colgate in a semifinal matchup back in 2014.
The Greyhounds are currently ranked eighteenth nationally according to major polls following their recent success. They boast improvements not only offensively but also defensively with goalkeeper Max Watkinson making double-digit saves consistently throughout both this season and last.
Looking ahead, if all three members of Loyola’s starting attack reach fifty points each this year they will be just the fourth trio from Loyola ever to do so—a feat last accomplished by Pat Spencer (114), Kevin Lindley (64), and Chase Scanlan (58) in 2019. With continued strong performances from key players such as Cook—who missed fall practice due to injury but returned strongly—and veteran leadership from Toomey behind the bench, expectations remain high for Friday’s semifinal.
