Santamaria, Willner Score Twice as ASC Falls 8-5

Reggie Thompson
The Paw Print

In a special match-up at the Denver Broncos’ and Colorado Outlaws’ Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium as the premiere game of the Littleton Cup Tripleheader, Adams State again fell short of pulling off a win in comeback fashion as they lost 8-5 to Western Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (WILA) rival Mesa State College due to stellar performances by the Mavericks’ Kade Robinson and Trace Wollner.
Mesa State kicked off the game with two quick goals by Robinson and Wollner within the first five minutes of the first quarter.
The 10 minute shutout ended for the Grizzlies when Kevin Bertrand assisted Anthony Willner’s fifth goal of the season for one of only two assists for Adams State.
From the latter part of the first period into the first part of the second, Mesa regained a steady lead through three unanswered goals from Dakota Klossner, Robinson, and Trevor Ecton.
Around the seven minute point in the second quarter, Bertrand added to the Grizzlies’ scoreboard with his seventeenth goal of the year.  To close the first half, Robinson’s thirteenth goal this season completed his hat trick and put his team up 6-2.
After halftime, ASC wasted no time in trying to get back into the game.  Just over a minute into the second half, unassisted, Michael Santamaria scored his seventh goal as the Grizzlies inched their way closer to the Mavericks.  A goal by Anthony Willner brought Adams State even nearer with nine minutes, 37 seconds to play in the quarter.
In a defensive stalemate, neither team would score for the remainder of the third quarter, keeping the score 6-4 in favor of Mesa State moving into the fourth and final period.
Yet another unassisted Santamaria goal started the fourth quarter one minute, nine seconds in.
Pulling within one point, Adams State got as close as they could for the rest of the game.
Two late Wollner goals would distance the Mavericks from the Grizzlies and ice the game.
Mesa State currently has a 6-7 overall record (4-4 WILA) while Adams State sits at a 1-9 record (1-5 WILA).
The Grizzles are now headed for Colorado Springs, Colo. to compete against the undefeated Tigers of Colorado College (12-0, 7-0 WILA) on May 3, 2011 for the team’s last game of their first season.
On April 24, the Tigers claimed the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference playoff championship after defeating Birminghame-Southern. Colorado College just recently found out they will receive their first-ever bid into the NCAA Tournament.  The two teams will face-off at 7:30 pm at CC’s campus.