TACOMA, Wash. – A trip to the playoffs is one step closer for Argo lacrosse after a 9-4 win over the University of Puget Sound. The win is the second straight, and third in four games, for UGF, putting team one win away from a three-way tie for second place in the Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League.
 
"We've come along way this year," UGF head coach Fred Boekel said. "I think the guys were a little bit down at mid-season with a couple of blowout losses but finishing second in the league in our first year in the league would be a pretty good accomplishment."
 
To put themselves in position to vie for playoff contention UGF first had to defeat the Loggers who took an early 3-1 lead in the first quarter. A determined Argo squad however, got better and better with each quarter, starting with a 2-0 second quarter that tied the game at three heading into the half.
 
Shutting out the Loggers in the second quarter was the start of a dominant defensive performance by the Argos over the last three periods. Through the final 45 minutes of play, Puget Sound managed to score just one goal despite 4.5 minutes of man-up offense. UGF's man-down defense, led by junior defenseman Colton Thompson (4), didn't allow a goal during any of that penalty time.
 
"We were rotating really well and we put a lot of pressure on the ball when were were a man down," Boekel said. "I don't think they were prepared for that and I think it effected their man-up attack."
 
Offensively, Boekel's boys played their most team oriented brand of lacrosse of the season, with four of the team's nine goals coming with assists. Increased ball movement and off-ball cutting led to three UGF goals in each of the two final quarters. The first four of those second half goals came from junior attacker Josh Smith (28). Smith continued his streak of scoring at least a hat trick to seven consecutive games.
 
"We played better team ball. Of course Josh had his usual five goals but we ended up having almost half our goals assisted," Boekel said. "We moved the ball and lot and got it to Josh instead of just having Josh go to the hoop."
 
Two of the Argo's four assists came from junior middie Albert Williams (5) who also scored the game tying goal heading into the half. Two more of UGF's goals were scored by senior middie Joey Moser (3) with the ninth and final goal going to junior defenseman McKinley Ridenour (2) who moved up to attacker for the end of the game.
 
The 9-4 win is the largest margin of victory of the season for UGF and gives the team the best record in program history at 4-7 (2-2). UGF's last game of the regular season will be a most win for postseason hopes. It will also be the third of three games in three days for UGF. The team's opponent will be Western Washington University. The game will be played on Monday, April 25 at 7 pm MTS in Bellingham, Wash.