William Penn Overwhelms Columbia 29-6 for Senior Day Victory

Oskaloosa--The No. 10-ranked WPU men's lacrosse team delivered a commanding 29-6 victory over Columbia (Mo.) in Heart of America Athletic Conference play Friday.

The Statesmen (7-3, 6-0 Heart) showcased an overwhelming offensive performance, outshooting Columbia (4-6, 4-2 Heart) 84-19.

Garrett Katrana (Fr., Parker, Colo., Industrial Technology) led the charge, netting three goals in the opening quarter, one of which was assisted by Nate Blasingame (Sr., Portland, Ore., Business Management). Max Taylor (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn., Business Management) followed with a goal assisted by Breck Putzier (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn., Exercise Science), and Blasingame added a goal with another assist from Putzier. Putzier then set up Taylor for another goal at 9:32. The Statesmen offense showed no signs of slowing down as Kenny Bohney (Jr., Moorhead, Minn., Exercise Science) scored two quick goals, assisted by Katrana and Blasingame. The first quarter concluded with goals from Putzier, Seth Read (Sr., Phoenix, Ariz., Psychology), and Bohney, pushing the lead to 11-0.

In the second quarter, Blasingame and Putzier scored unassisted goals to extend the lead. Putzier continued to contribute, assisting Taylor and Bohney on their respective goals. He added two more goals, with assists from Katrana and Taylor. The Statesmen maintained their dominance as Katrana added two more goals, before Columbia managed to get on the board with one of their own. Daniel McQuade (Sr., Tucson, Ariz., Political Science) added two goals, and Bohney rounded out the quarter with a goal in the final seconds, giving the Statesmen a 22-1 lead at halftime.

The third quarter saw a slight slowdown in the Statesmen's offensive pace, but Katrana and Taylor each added a goal. Columbia found some rhythm late in the quarter, scoring three goals in the final three minutes.

The final quarter saw a resurgence for William Penn, despite Columbia managing a goal early. Read, assisted by Katrana, netted another goal before Putzier fired one past the keeper. Bohney added another goal, assisted by Putzier. Columbia responded with a goal of their own, but Katrana and Read capped the scoring with unassisted goals, completing the 29-6 win.

Katrana was the standout performer, scoring seven goals on 16 shots while adding three assists. Bohney contributed six goals and 10 shots, and Putzier tallied five goals off 19 shots, along with eight assists. Blasingame recorded two goals and four assists, while Taylor added four goals and one assist.

Defensively, William Penn controlled possession, finishing with a 54-28 advantage in ground balls. Max Standage (Sr., Gilbert, Ariz., Business Management) led the effort with 12 ground balls, while Bohney added nine. At the faceoff X, the Statesmen dominated, winning 28 of 39 faceoffs. Bryce Campbell (Jr., Boise, Idaho) won eight of 11 attempts, and Kameron Brown (So., Woodinville, Wash., Business Management) claimed 15 of 20. The Statesmen committed 20 turnovers, while Columbia had 31.

"A great result for our senior day," said Head Coach Luke Christiansen. "Proud of the guys for starting fast and putting together a great effort for the seniors. We saw a glimpse of what we are capable of when executing at a high level."

Next Up: The Statesmen face Missouri Baptist in St. Louis, Mo., in another Heart of America matchup Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.