Utes Open Season with 16-9 Victory over Delaware

Friday, January 30

Wilmington, Del.

10:30 AM

University of Utah

1-0

Delaware

0-1

Utah

Delaware

Utes Open Season with 16-9 Victory over Delaware

1/30/2026 1:36 PM | Lacrosse

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

McNamara, Stines, Faulkner all record hat tricks as Utes claim first win of Division I calendar

WILMINGTON, Del. – The University of Utah lacrosse team earned the first win of the 2026 Division I men's lacrosse calendar, beating the Delaware Blue Hens, 16-9, inside Chase Fieldhouse on Friday afternoon.

Utah fell behind 3-0 early and trailed 4-3 after the first 15 minutes. The Utes quickly found their stride, however, and outscored the Blue Hens 13-4 over the final three quarters to walk away with a commanding victory.

.@UTAHLACROSSE IS 1-0!!! ?

ASUN Preseason Offensive POTY Ryan Stines had seven points (4G, 3A) in the 16-9 win over Delaware. pic.twitter.com/sYxTmdOwAf
— TLN ?? (@LacrosseNetwork) January 30, 2026

The Utes start the season 1-0 for the second year in a row and claimed their first win over Delaware in program history.

Utah outshot Delaware 50-33, with 28 of the Utes' attempts being on goal. Utah took command of the center circle, winning 17-of-28 faceoffs, and was dominant in the transition game. The Utes were successful on 18-of-21 clearance attempts while holding the Hens to just 15-of-23.

You won't want to miss this one ?????

??/ @kevbrown89 #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/lj4PdpIBEw
— Utah Lacrosse (@UtahLacrosse) January 30, 2026

GAME LEADERS
Five Utes entered the scoring column and nine tallied at least a point in the season opener. Preseason ASUN Offensive Player of the Year Ryan Stines paced the offensive attack with four goals and three assists for seven points, while Luke McNamara set a new career high with six points thanks to five goals – which matched his career high – and an assist. Cade Faulkner set a new career best with four goals, including a hat trick in the first half, and added an assist for a career-high five points.

Nikko DiPonio, the Preseason ASUN Defensive Player of the Year, paced the Utah defense with four caused turnovers, six ground balls, and a goal. Zachary White and Karson Sparks also tallied multiple caused turnover, marking the first career game with multiple caused turnovers for both.

Preseason ASUN Specialist of the Year Tyler Kloeckl won 14 of his 23 faceoff tries and led Utah with seven ground balls. Colin Lenskold handled most of the time in the cage for Utah, making eight saves en route to his 23rd career win.

FIRST QUARTER BREAKDOWN
Delaware jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, but Utah would even it up with three-straight goals of its own. Faulkner tallied the Utes' first goal of the season, set up by a Stines assist. DiPonio fired a quick shot after Utah won the ensuing draw that was saved, but the senior collected the rebound and buried it in the back of the net.

Jake Likes added his first of the year to even the score at 3-3 with 5:47 left, but the Blue Hens tacked on one more to take the lead after the first quarter. DiPonio led the Utes with a pair of caused turnovers and ground balls in the first 15 minutes and Lenskold tallied three saves in the frame.

SECOND QUARTER BREAKDOWN
Faulkner found his second of the day to open the second quarter, taking a feed pass from Will Overly and slinging the lefty shot off the far post and in to level the game at 4-4. Delaware retook the lead, and after a number of strong scoring chances that were turned away, Stines net his first of the season to tie it up, 5-5, with 3:47 remaining in the half.

Utah found three more goals in quick succession to take an 8-5 lead at the break. After an interference call against the Hens, McNamara capitalized on the man-up opportunity to give the Utes their first lead of the day. Faulkner added his third of the day for his fifth-career hat trick with 1:13 left to play, and Stines added another with eight seconds left to push the lead to three at the half.

Utah held a 29-15 shot advantage and led 15-9 in shots on goal after the first 30 minutes. The Utes were nearly perfect on their clearance attempts, going 8-of-9, while holding Delaware to 6-of-9.

THIRD QUARTER BREAKDOWN
Delaware scored first to open the second half, but Utah responded with three goals of its own. White found McNamara for a pair of quick scores before Stines capped his hat trick to put Utah up, 11-6, with 6:32 remaining in the quarter.

Delaware scored twice to cut the lead back down to three, but a pair of strong saves by Lenskold kept the Utes up, 11-8, heading into the fourth.

FOURTH QUARTER BREAKDOWN
Utah went on a 5-1 run to close the game and improve to 1-0 for the second season in a row. Stines found Faulkner early in the period to push the lead to four, and McNamara made it a five-goal lead off the first Utah assist by Joel Mullen. Likes pushed the lead to 14-8 with 8:26 to play, ripping a shot into the bottom-left corner after a beautiful behind-the-back feed from Faulkner.

Stines net his fourth of the day with 6:08 left to play thanks to an assist by McNamara, and after a Blue Hens goal, McNamara found the back of the net for the fifth time himself off the first Utah helper by Jordan Reed to give the Utes the 16-9 edge. Matthew Dineen came in in goal for the final 3:52 of action, stopping all three shots sent on goal.

UP NEXT
Utah stays on the road for its second game of the season, taking on No. 11 Duke at Freeman Field at Koskinen Stadium in Durham, N.C., on Friday, Feb. 6. The game is set for a 3 p.m. MT start and will be broadcast on ACC Network.

STAY CONNECTED
Fans can follow along on social media (X: @UTAHLacrosse | Instagram: @utahlacrosse), and the official mobile app of Utah Athletics, Utah360 -- download here.