Upcoming Event: Lacrosse versus Queens on April 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM
12:00 PM
Lacrosse
vs Queens
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The University of Utah Athletics
Saturday, April 11
Jacksonville, Fla.
10:00 AM
University of Utah
8-3, 3-0
9
at
8
Jacksonville
6-5, 2-1
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
| Jacksonville | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
Photo by: Evan Sosnowski/Utah Athletics
Fourth Quarter Comeback Lifts Utes over Dolphins
4/11/2026 12:47 PM | Lacrosse
Utah tops Jacksonville, 9-8, to clinch ASUN Tournament berth
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of Utah lacrosse program improved to a 3-0 in Atlantic Sun Conference play and clinched its spot in the ASUN Tournament with a come-from-behind win on the road against the Jacksonville Dolphins on Saturday afternoon.
In its five seasons in the ASUN, Utah has yet to miss the conference tournament.
The Utes (8-3, 3-0 ASUN) fell behind early, trailing 4-0 after the first quarter, but came back to win thanks to a four-goal scoring run in the fourth. Utah held Jacksonville (6-5, 2-1 ASUN) to its lowest goal total of the season, allowing just one goal in the final frame and four goals across the final 45 minutes of play.
Utah held a 45-25 shot advantage and a 27-21 edge in shots on goal despite trailing in faceoff wins (7-13) and ground balls (28-38). Colin Lenskold tallied 13 saves in the cage, matching his season high, with seven of those coming in the second half while Utah mounted the comeback.
Now the only remaining undefeated team in ASUN Conference play, the Utes will look to lock up the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament with a pair of home games remaining in the regular season.
GAME LEADERS
Lenskold put together his best game of his senior campaign, as his .619 save percentage marked his best of the season. The senior also nabbed three ground balls, his fifth game this season with multiple GBs.
Nathan Chalmers led the Utah offense with his first career hat trick, scoring the tying and go-ahead goals in the fourth quarter. The sophomore put all four of his shots on goal, finding netting on three of them. Luke McNamara and Ryan Stines each tallied multiple points for the Utes, with McNamara – the nation's leading scorer – netting a pair of goals and Stines – the Utah career points record holder – notching a goal and an assist.
Nikko DiPonio paced the Utah defense with a caused turnover and a team-best six ground balls. His CT was a monumental one, as he became the first player in Utah program history to log 100 ground balls in a career.
Marco Pascarella also caused a pair of turnovers and nabbed two ground balls.
FIRST QUARTER BREAKDOWN
Utah's offense was not stagnant out of the gates, but the Utes were unable to find a goal in the first 15 minutes of play. Despite holding a 13-10 shot advantage through the opening frame, Jacksonville scored four unanswered to take a 4-0 lead.
SECOND QUARTER BREAKDOWN
Lenskold made three quick saves to keep the deficit at four early in the quarter and slow Jacksonville's momentum. Halfway into the frame after neither side had found nylon, Stines expertly split a double team and found Chalmers at X, who capitalized on the six-on-four situation and put Utah on the board.
After Tyler Kloeckl won the ensuing faceoff, McNamara scored a behind-the-back goal off a feed from Zachary White to cut the Jacksonville lead in half.
Karson Sparks made it three straight goals for Utah, connecting from distance off a find from Luke Haley to make it a 4-3 game with five minutes left in the half.
After Jacksonville snapped the run with its fifth goal of the game, Stines scored to cut the lead back to one. The redshirt senior looked to send a pass in front of goal to McNamara, but the ball hit off the stick of a Dolphin d-pole and careened right into the back of the net. Utah went into the locker room trailing, 5-4.
THIRD QUARTER BREAKDOWN
Both defenses held the opposing offense in check for the first 10 minutes of the second half before Jacksonville was able to break the deadlock with its sixth score of the game. Utah would answer back a minute later, however, as Will Overly was able to create space and fire a lefty laser past the goalie to make it a 6-5 game.
Jacksonville scored once more before time ran out in the third, taking a 7-5 lead into the fourth.
FOURTH QUARTER BREAKDOWN
After five scoreless minutes to start the fourth, McNamara scored his second of the day off a feed from Stines to pull Utah back within one. Less than a minute later, Chalmers buried his second of the day to tie the game at 7-7, fighting through the defense (and breaking the defender's stick while doing so) to net the equalizer.
With the momentum on Utah's side, the Utes fed the hot hand. With 4:12 left on the clock, Chalmers took the ball at X, wrapped to the far post, and slotted it past the goalie from a tough angle to give Utah its first lead of the day.
Jacksonville got the ball into Utah's defensive zone off the ensuing faceoff, but after a blocked shot, DiPonio came up with a tough ground ball and found Kyle Harrison streaking up field. The SSDM saw green grass in front of him and charged at the net, fighting through contact to score a diving goal that sent the Utah bench into a frenzy and gave the Utes a 9-7 lead.
Jacksonville upped its offensive pressure, but Lenksold stood tall in the cage. The senior made a clutch save with 31 seconds left, but the Dolphins were able to score one with seven seconds left. After Jacksonville won the faceoff and sent a quick shot on goal, Lenskold made his 13th and final save of the day to keep the Utes unbeaten in league play.
UP NEXT
Utah will wrap up the regular season with a pair of games at Ute Field. The Utes will take on Queens on Saturday, April 18, at noon before closing out the ASUN slate against Air Force on Saturday, April 25.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can follow along on social media (X: @UTAHLacrosse | Instagram: @utahlacrosse), and the official mobile app of Utah Athletics, Utah360 -- download here.
In its five seasons in the ASUN, Utah has yet to miss the conference tournament.
The Utes (8-3, 3-0 ASUN) fell behind early, trailing 4-0 after the first quarter, but came back to win thanks to a four-goal scoring run in the fourth. Utah held Jacksonville (6-5, 2-1 ASUN) to its lowest goal total of the season, allowing just one goal in the final frame and four goals across the final 45 minutes of play.
Utah held a 45-25 shot advantage and a 27-21 edge in shots on goal despite trailing in faceoff wins (7-13) and ground balls (28-38). Colin Lenskold tallied 13 saves in the cage, matching his season high, with seven of those coming in the second half while Utah mounted the comeback.
Now the only remaining undefeated team in ASUN Conference play, the Utes will look to lock up the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament with a pair of home games remaining in the regular season.
GAME LEADERS
Lenskold put together his best game of his senior campaign, as his .619 save percentage marked his best of the season. The senior also nabbed three ground balls, his fifth game this season with multiple GBs.
Nathan Chalmers led the Utah offense with his first career hat trick, scoring the tying and go-ahead goals in the fourth quarter. The sophomore put all four of his shots on goal, finding netting on three of them. Luke McNamara and Ryan Stines each tallied multiple points for the Utes, with McNamara – the nation's leading scorer – netting a pair of goals and Stines – the Utah career points record holder – notching a goal and an assist.
Nikko DiPonio paced the Utah defense with a caused turnover and a team-best six ground balls. His CT was a monumental one, as he became the first player in Utah program history to log 100 ground balls in a career.
Program record ?
— Utah Lacrosse (@UtahLacrosse) April 11, 2026
First Utah Ute to ever reach 100 CTs ?
Nikko DiPonio is that guy??#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/MGuAvY8vbM
Marco Pascarella also caused a pair of turnovers and nabbed two ground balls.
FIRST QUARTER BREAKDOWN
Utah's offense was not stagnant out of the gates, but the Utes were unable to find a goal in the first 15 minutes of play. Despite holding a 13-10 shot advantage through the opening frame, Jacksonville scored four unanswered to take a 4-0 lead.
SECOND QUARTER BREAKDOWN
Lenskold made three quick saves to keep the deficit at four early in the quarter and slow Jacksonville's momentum. Halfway into the frame after neither side had found nylon, Stines expertly split a double team and found Chalmers at X, who capitalized on the six-on-four situation and put Utah on the board.
Stines beats the double and sets up 2??9????
— Utah Lacrosse (@UtahLacrosse) April 11, 2026
?? ESPN+#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/HELG6mQmsa
After Tyler Kloeckl won the ensuing faceoff, McNamara scored a behind-the-back goal off a feed from Zachary White to cut the Jacksonville lead in half.
Too clean with it ?????
— Utah Lacrosse (@UtahLacrosse) April 11, 2026
?? ESPN+#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/R2Jkrlh1wR
Karson Sparks made it three straight goals for Utah, connecting from distance off a find from Luke Haley to make it a 4-3 game with five minutes left in the half.
Like butter ??
— Utah Lacrosse (@UtahLacrosse) April 11, 2026
?? ESPN+#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/YGQLVqInOy
After Jacksonville snapped the run with its fifth goal of the game, Stines scored to cut the lead back to one. The redshirt senior looked to send a pass in front of goal to McNamara, but the ball hit off the stick of a Dolphin d-pole and careened right into the back of the net. Utah went into the locker room trailing, 5-4.
THIRD QUARTER BREAKDOWN
Both defenses held the opposing offense in check for the first 10 minutes of the second half before Jacksonville was able to break the deadlock with its sixth score of the game. Utah would answer back a minute later, however, as Will Overly was able to create space and fire a lefty laser past the goalie to make it a 6-5 game.
Let it rip, lefty!
— Utah Lacrosse (@UtahLacrosse) April 11, 2026
?? ESPN+#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/MmoBPT7Jl9
Jacksonville scored once more before time ran out in the third, taking a 7-5 lead into the fourth.
FOURTH QUARTER BREAKDOWN
After five scoreless minutes to start the fourth, McNamara scored his second of the day off a feed from Stines to pull Utah back within one. Less than a minute later, Chalmers buried his second of the day to tie the game at 7-7, fighting through the defense (and breaking the defender's stick while doing so) to net the equalizer.
Known goal scorer.
— Utah Lacrosse (@UtahLacrosse) April 11, 2026
?? ESPN+#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/wTb7sUg5jg
Nasty from Nathan.
— Utah Lacrosse (@UtahLacrosse) April 11, 2026
?? ESPN+#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/py8siYoUeS
With the momentum on Utah's side, the Utes fed the hot hand. With 4:12 left on the clock, Chalmers took the ball at X, wrapped to the far post, and slotted it past the goalie from a tough angle to give Utah its first lead of the day.
HAVE A DAY TWO NINE????
— Utah Lacrosse (@UtahLacrosse) April 11, 2026
?? ESPN+#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/hOtUzfVftU
Jacksonville got the ball into Utah's defensive zone off the ensuing faceoff, but after a blocked shot, DiPonio came up with a tough ground ball and found Kyle Harrison streaking up field. The SSDM saw green grass in front of him and charged at the net, fighting through contact to score a diving goal that sent the Utah bench into a frenzy and gave the Utes a 9-7 lead.
Frenzy.
— Utah Lacrosse (@UtahLacrosse) April 11, 2026
?? ESPN+#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/WefuQrYWQf
Jacksonville upped its offensive pressure, but Lenksold stood tall in the cage. The senior made a clutch save with 31 seconds left, but the Dolphins were able to score one with seven seconds left. After Jacksonville won the faceoff and sent a quick shot on goal, Lenskold made his 13th and final save of the day to keep the Utes unbeaten in league play.
UP NEXT
Utah will wrap up the regular season with a pair of games at Ute Field. The Utes will take on Queens on Saturday, April 18, at noon before closing out the ASUN slate against Air Force on Saturday, April 25.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can follow along on social media (X: @UTAHLacrosse | Instagram: @utahlacrosse), and the official mobile app of Utah Athletics, Utah360 -- download here.
Team Stats
UTAH
JACKSONV
Shots
45
35
Turnovers
18
24
Caused Turnovers
6
11
Faceoffs Won
7
13
Extra-Man Opps
2
1
Ground Balls
28
38
Game Leaders
G
3
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
0
G
1
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
2
CT
0
G
1
A
1
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
3
CT
0
Players Mentioned
A
/ Lacrosse
D
/ Lacrosse
M
/ Lacrosse
D
/ Lacrosse
FO/M
/ Lacrosse
GK
/ LacrosseA
/ LacrosseM
/ Lacrosse
M
/ Lacrosse
M
/ LacrosseA
/ Lacrosse
A
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