GREAT FALLS, Mont. – In the first on campus home game in program history, Argo lacrosse put on a show, winning 17-7 against Johnson & Wales. The Argos used an 11-2 margin in the second half to pull away from what was a tight game after 30 minutes of play.
 
"It was fun, it really was. It was fun to look across the field and see a bunch of people sitting on the hillside," UGF Head Coach Fred Boekel said of finally playing an on campus home game. "It's exciting, and we're definitely playing better than last year."
 
Statistically, UGF clearly outmatched JWU from the opening faceoff. The Argos outshot the Wildcats 11-1 through the first 15 minutes, and caused 7 JWU turnovers. Inaccurate shooting and 5 turnovers of its own kept UGF from translating statistical advantages into an advantage on the scoreboard. At the end of the first quarter the score was tied 1-1.
 
Shots started to go in during the second stanza for UGF, but they went in for the Wildcats as well. The period was the most evenly played of the game, and JWU benefited from a minute and half of UGF penalty time to score 2 man-up goals.
 
Junior Josh Smith scored twice in the period as did sophomores Chase Clark and Kobe Johnson as well as freshman Matt Woods who scored for the first time in his college career. A goal from Johnson with 12 second left gave UGF a slim 6-5 lead heading into halftime.
 
That wasn't good enough for Boekel.
 
"We did not play well in the first half. I don't know what it was, but our guys weren't ready," Boekel said. "We really didn't shoot well. We kept shooting right at the goalkeeper's feet and they kept not going in. My expectations for this team are just higher than that."
 
After talking it over at the half, the Argos began to play better team offense in the second half and the goals rolled in almost effortlessly. UGF scored five times in the third quarter and six times in the fourth, while only allowing one goal in each period.
 
Perhaps the most telling stat was assists. All but 1 of UGF's 6 first half goals came on unassisted efforts, but 7 of the team's 11 second half scores were fed before they were finished.
 
"In the second half, I think we started placing the ball a lot better," Boekel said. "Plus, in the second half we actually started to run our offense, where in the first half it turned into the Josh show again. We played a much better team game in the second half."
 
Helping UGF dominate possession of the ball, and therefore shots, and therefore goals, was sophomore midfielder Joshua Gavin who had a huge day at the faceoff X. Through most of the season, freshman Dante Duran has been the Argo's primary faceoff man, but Gavin took over that role against JWU to great success.

Not only did Gavin go a staggering 19-23 in faceoffs with 5 ground balls, he also scored the first points of his career. The milestones started with an unsettled situation nine minutes into the third quarter that resulted in Gavin's first career goal. Five minutes later the sophomore got his first career assists on a goal from Johnson.
 
Johnson had a significant impact on the game in his own right. After missing the last few games due to injury, the team's attacker from X, ran the offense efficiently and effectively. He set a new career high with 3 goals offf 7 shots.
 
Clark and Smith were the two leading scorers for the Argos. Clark led in total points with a career high 4 goals and 2 assists, while Smith followed up two straight 6 goal games with a 5 goal performance against JWU.
 
UGF moves to 3-3 on the season, the first time in program history that the team hasn't had losing record this far into a season. The team is also one win shy of its win total from 2016.
 
"It's a good feeling, but not only my expectations, but the kids' expectations are just so much higher than last year," Boekel said. "We're certainly going to end up with a better record this year, but we feel like we should move to that next level. We should be a playoff team."
 
Next for the Argos will be a second straight home game, this time against the University of Wyoming on Saturday, March 25 at 3 p.m. on Argo Field.