Liberty Men’s Lacrosse Wins ALC Championship Against University of Tennessee

The Liberty University Men’s Lacrosse team won the Atlantic Lacrosse Conference (ALC) Championship for the second year in a row against the University of Tennessee 16-8 after beating Clemson University 16-12 April 26-27. 

The Flames took the field April 26 to face the Clemson Tigers. For the first few minutes of the opening quarter, both teams traded the lead. Senior defender Connor Guiltinan got the first goal of the game by intercepting a pass, dodging the Tigers and sneaking in a quick goal. 

Shortly after, graduate attacker Connor McCabe scored another goal for the Tigers with the assist coming from junior midfielder Michael McCutcheon. Liberty was undeterred by the goal and tied the score with goals from freshman midfielder Josiah Hoopman at the end of the first frame and sophomore midfielder Easton Cahill at the beginning of the second. 

Both teams went back and forth transitioning into the second quarter, but Liberty pulled ahead, going on a 9-0 stretch. By the fourth quarter, Clemson was catching up to the Flames, but the Flames’ defense prevented the Tigers from tying the score and overtaking the Flames, ending the semi-final game 16-12. 

“Our mentality was bend, don’t break,” Head Coach Kyle McQuillan said. “To Clemson’s credit, they continued to apply pressure and make us pay for our mistakes.” 

Liberty faced the Tennessee Volunteers the following day for the ALC title. Each team battled, holding the other at stalemate for the first few minutes of the game. Tennessee was first to strike, sinking its first goal.  

Liberty poured on the power and fans roared as the Flames tied the score when teamwork from Hoopman and Branham broke through Tennessee’s defense.  

Following that, a frenzy in front of the Volunteers’ net allowed graduate attacker Braden Landry to sneak the ball in with help from graduate attacker and midfielder Keaton Mohs. Branham rounded out the first quarter with an unassisted goal of his own 3-1. 

At the start of the second quarter, Tennessee notched another goal but could not stop the Flames’ momentum. Going into the third quarter, Liberty inflated the score to 11-2.  

The Volunteers mounted a comeback, but their efforts were extinguished, only achieving six more goals. Meanwhile the Flames increased their lead, garnering five more goals to end the match 16-8. 

“It definitely felt like a year of just all the things falling into place and kind of falling into line,” McQuillan said. “That’s great to win an ALC Championship, and like I said, I hope that we’re able to finish the job next week in Texas.” 

The Flames will travel to Round Rock, Texas to play in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association Nationals May 5-10. 

Warden is a sports reporter for the Liberty Champion.