TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Colby Cannon (Sr., Walnut Creek, Calif.) and Corey Erickson (Sr., Manhattan Beach, Calif.) scored twice as Rocky Mountain Division Champion/No. 14-ranked the University of Colorado survived in a nailbiter against Florida Division Champion/No. 13 the University of Florida in the 30th and final game of the 2017 Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship at Florida State University’s Morcom Aquatics Center to claim 11th Place.
Colorado, which previously finished in Second (1997), Fifth (2016), Seventh (2001, 2014), Eighth (2010), Ninth (2015), 12th (2008), records the program’s second finish outside the Top 10 as the Buffaloes used 3-2 and 1-0 scoring advantages in the first and third quarters, respectively, to out-swim the Gators.
Florida scored first in the game as Ricardo Martinez (So., Boca Raton, Fla.) sliced in a shot with 5:55 left in the first quarter to make it 1-0 in favor of the Gators. Cannon, Ryan Coval (So., Carlsbad, Calif.) and Max Lilien (Sr., Newport Beach, Calif.) evened the score, put Colorado out in front and padded the lead with back-to-back-to-back tallies at the 5:19, 2:50 and 2:16 marks, respectively, to make it 3-1 in favor of the Buffaloes.
The Gators pulled even, however, as Max Lettau (Sr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) swished a shot with 1:24 left in the first quarter to move Florida within 3-2 prior to drilling in another marker with 6:10 to go until halftime in the second quarter to make it a three-all contest.
Dylan Ogle (Fr., Agoura Hills, Calif.) returned the lead to Colorado at 4-3 with a blast at 4:33, but Daniel Zubero (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) zinged a ball into the cage at 2:37 to balance the scoreboard at four-all.
Colorado went in front to stay with 12 seconds remaining in the frame as Cannon volleyed in a shot to push the Buffaloes out to a 5-4 lead at halftime.
Erickson built the margin to 6-4 at the 4:11 mark of the third quarter prior to making it 7-4 with 1:40 remaining in the fourth quarter. Thomas MacDonald (Sr., Orlando, Fla.) closed out the contest by lofting in an opportunity 25 seconds later for the 7-5 final score.
For Colorado, Coval ,Ogle and Lilien each added single goals in support of a combined eight saves from a trio of goalies.
Lettau keyed the Gators with a pair of strikes, while Zubero, Martinez and MacDonald each racked up solo markers. Goalie Billy Whidden (Sr., Orlando, Fla.) took the defeat with nine saves.
Florida, which previously finished Third (2001, 2011), Fourth (2008), Eighth (2000), Ninth (2003) and 11th (2002) at the Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship, finishes in 12th Place in the final 16-team standings due to the loss.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| University of Florida | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | 7 |
| University of Colorado | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | – | 5 |
| Colorado Goals: | Colby Cannon (2); Corey Erickson (2); Dylan Ogle; Max Lilien; Ryan Coval; |
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| Florida Goals: | Max Lettau (2); Ricardo Martinez; Daniel Zubero; Thomas MacDonald | |||||
| Saves: | Colorado – Dane Grosvenor (4, 14 minutes), Ben Worley (1, 7 minutes), Squid (3, 7 minutes) ; Florida – Billy Whidden (9) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Colorado – 4 ; Florida – 9 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Colorado – 0-for-9 ; Florida – 0-for-4 | |||||
| Sprints: | Colorado – 3-for-4 (1st, 2nd, 3rd); Florida – 1-for-4 (4th) | |||||
| Officials: | Urllich Grude, Jorge Villalobos | |||||
Photo 1: University of Colorado’s Dylan Ogle (#2) lines-up a shot on University of Florida goalie Billy Whidden (#1); Photo 2: University of Colorado’s Clayton Wenthur (#5) prepares to pass as the University of Florida’s Max Lettau (#12) closes in ; Photo 3: University of Florida’s Ali Shahin (#6) looks for an opening as the University of Colorado’s Stephen Tifft (#16) defends
