HobbsDailyReport.com
HICKORY – Lenoir-Rhyne University’s men — ranked No. 5 in NCAA Division II — open the NCAA Division II South Regional as its top seed and will play fourth-seeded Colorado Mesa in Hickory on Saturday at 2 p.m.
The Bears (16-2) and Mavericks (17-2) played on Feb. 24 in Hickory with Colorado Mesa winning 13-12.
Colorado Mesa is on a 10-match win streak and is ranked No. 10 in the nation.
The other South Region contest features second-seeded and No. 6 Saint Leo (14-2) against third-seeded and seventh-ranked Tampa (15-4) on the Lions’ home field on Saturday at 1 p.m.
LRU is making its second season straight postseason appearance.
The Bears, regular season champions in the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) four times, have been ranked as high as No. 3 in the nation this season. They are 39-5 in their last 44 matches.
Leading LRU is junior attacker Joe Buduo with a league-leading 59 goals and 87 points – both school-records – and senior long stick middle Collin Lett, the league player of the year. Lett has five goals, five assists and a team-leading 66 ground balls.
Colorado Mesa is the 2018 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular season and tournament champion and is led by Reece Callies with 41 goals, 24 assists and 65 total points.
This year’s finalists will advance to Foxborough, Mass., for the championship match at Gillette Stadium with a 4 p.m. start on May 27. The match will be shown via web stream on NCAA.com.
NCAA DIVISION II MEN’S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP
SOUTH REGION
Saturday’s quarterfinals
No. 4 Colorado Mesa (17-2) at No. 1 LENOIR-RHYNE (16-2), 2 p.m.
No. 3 Tampa (15-4) at No. 2 Saint Leo (14-2), 1 p.m.
NORTH REGION
Saturday’s quarterfinals
No. 4 NYIT (13-4) at No. 1 Merrimack (15-1)
No. 3 Le Moyne (15-1) at No. 2 Seton Hill (16-1)
NEXT
Semifinals on May 19 or May 20, TBD
Colorado Mesa/LRU winner vs. Tampa/Saint Leo winner
NYIT/Merrimack winner vs. Le Moyne/Seton Hill winner
National championship on May 27
Semifinals winners at Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Mass., 4 p.m.
— Reported by LRU Sports Information