Utah Lacrosse stuns No. 19 Ohio State in season opener

Utes pick up a historic victory in Columbus over Big Ten powerhouse

Utah Lacrosse

The University of Utah lacrosse team opened its 2025 season with a statement victory, upsetting No. 19 Ohio State 19-13 at the Ohio State Lacrosse Stadium on Saturday afternoon. This marks the first time in program history that the Utes have defeated a ranked opponent in their season opener.

Utah wasted no time setting the tone, scoring the game’s first goal at the 9:34 mark in the first quarter through sophomore Cade Faulkner. While the Buckeyes quickly responded to tie the game, that would be the last time the score was level. The Utes surged ahead with a dominant 5-1 run to close out the first quarter and maintained control throughout the contest. By halftime, Utah had built a comfortable lead, which they extended with ten second-half goals.

The Utes outshot Ohio State 43-39, with 34 of their attempts on target. Dominance at the face off also played a crucial role in their victory, as Utah won 23 of the game’s 34 drops.

Utah’s offensive firepower was led by freshman Luke McNamara, who delivered a career-high five goals on 12 shots. Senior Cody Hart also had a career day, netting four goals and totaling five points. Junior Ryan Stines contributed significantly, scoring twice and assisting on three other goals.

Defensively, juniors Nikko DiPonio and Tyler Kloeckl were pivotal, each securing nine groundballs. Kloeckl also dominated at the faceoff X, winning 21-of-29 attempts. In goal, sophomore Colin Lenskold provided a steady presence, recording 12 saves.

The Utes’ 44 groundballs rank ninth in program history, and their 23 faceoff wins tie for sixth all-time.

Utah will look to continue its momentum when it hosts Delaware at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 2 p.m. ET.