YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Lees-McRae men's lacrosse overcame a 6-1 deficit in the second quarter and used a 13-3 scoring run to earn the 16-12 Conference Carolinas Men's Lacrosse Championship Semifinal victory over No. 3 North Greenville this evening.
Cole Morris led the Bobcats with a season-high eight goals and
Cayden Onagi contributed three goals and five ground balls.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: No. 2 Lees-McRae – 16, No. 3 North Greenville – 12
LOCATION: YHC Soccer and Lacrosse Field – Young Harris, Georgia
RECORDS: No. 2 Lees-McRae (11-5/7-1); No. 3 North Greenville (11-7/6-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Zach Basisty opened the scoring in the first 59 seconds as Lees-McRae led 1-0 in the first quarter. North Greenville ended the first quarter on a 5-0 scoring run and led 6-1 with 7:23 left in the first half.
- Morris brought the Bobcats back with three consecutive goals as Lees-McRae trailed by two goals at the end of the first half.
- Adam Ross carried the momentum into the second half with the fifth goal of the evening for the Bobcats. Onagi regained the lead for Lees-McRae with a marker at the 9:43 mark of the third period.
- Lees-McRae answered North Greenville with four straight goals for the 11-7 lead with 4:33 left in the third period. The Bobcats led 11-8 into the final 15 minutes.
- NGU cut the deficit to two goals in the fourth, but Lees-McRae answered once again with goals from Onagi and Carter Whissell.
- Lees-McRae held off the Trailblazers in the final six minutes of the contest for the 16-12 win in Young Harris, Georgia.
- The Bobcats earned their first championship appearance in program history with tonight's win and will face No. 4 Barton in the finals on Sunday, April 26 at 1 p.m.
- Morris guided Lees-McRae with a season-high eight goals and one assist. Onagi followed with a hat trick while Ross registered two goals and two assists. Whissell joined his teammates with a multi-goal performance and Basisty had one goal in the contest.
- Kyler Donahue won 12-18 from the faceoff and Bennett Gibbons went 6-13 this evening. Connor Costigan picked up seven ground balls and caused one North Greenville turnover.
- Alex Epple turned the favor to Lees-McRae with eight saves in tonight's win.
UP NEXT:
Lees-McRae faces No. 4 Barton in the 2026 Conference Carolinas Men's Lacrosse Championship on Sunday, April 26 at 1 p.m. in Young Harris, Georgia. The Bobcats took the season matchup, 13-9, in Banner Elk on March 13.
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