Fort Collins, CO – The #2 Colorado State Rams had their 33-game MCLA winning streak snapped by the last team they lost to nearly 23 months ago as #5 Brigham Young won a key RMLC match-up 10-7 on campus at Colorado State University. BYU attackman Mike Fabrizio stole the show with six goals in an exciting and physical game in front of a raucous crowd of nearly 500 fans.
Fabrizio got things going early, scoring the first two goals of the contest before the game was even two minutes old. The Rams responded with a man-up goal by sophomore Jake Johnson (Bridgton Academy / Lake Forest, CA) to make it 2-1 before BYU answered back to hold a 3-1 lead after one period of play.
The teams were back and forth for the rest of the evening. Every time the Rams scored to get within one, BYU had an answer to push their lead back to two. When Johnson got his second of the night with 7:44 remaining in the contest to make it 8-7, BYU turned to Fabrizio, who scored twice in the final three minutes, including an empty-net goal, to give the Cougars the 10-7 victory.
CSU outshot BYU 26-24 and won the groundball battle 26-22, but the Cougars found a way to play their best in the fourth quarter, winning six of seven draws and scooping up 10 grounders to CSU’s five in the final frame.
Senior attackman Sean Smith (Amherst HS / Amherst, NY) kept his scoring touch alive with an impressive three goals and one assist to the lead the Rams while Fabrizio’s six goals led all scorers on the evening. Johnson, getting just the second start of his career scored both of his goals on man-up and freshman Ashton Monheiser (Mountain Vista HS / Highlands Ranch, CO) extended his scoring streak to five games with a goal and an assist as well. Christian Taylor was the only other multi-goal scorer on the evening.
The teams combined for 16 penalties and 14:30 of penalty time in the game. CSU’s man-up unit kept the Rams in the game, scoring on three of six opportunities while the Cougars were 0-6 on their extra-man chances.
With the loss, Colorado State drops to 4-1 on the season and 0-1 in the RMLC. BYU improves to 7-2 and 1-1 in conference. The Rams host the likely new #1 team in the country on Thursday night as Arizona State travels to Fort Collins for another important home test. Then CSU will hold their annual Hall of Fame Game on Saturday, March 15 against the Cal Bears at Shea Stadium in Highlands Ranch, CO.
