There is a new name at the top of the Denver Men’s Lacrosse all-time points leaderboard. With a goal near the end of the first half against the Marquette Golden Eagles (1-6, 0-5 BIG EAST), Ethan Walker officially passed Wes Berg on DU’s all-time points list with his 256th of his storied career as a Pioneer. Thanks to that goal, two hat tricks from Jack Hannah and JJ Sillstrop, and an impressive 8-save, 61.5% performance by goaltender Jack Thompson, the Pioneers (8-2, 6-0 BIG EAST) beat the Golden Eagles 16-6 at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium on a picturesque early spring Saturday afternoon in Denver.
There was little doubt that Ethan Walker would pass 2015 national champion Wes Berg on the leaderboard when the season started. Walker has been a prolific scorer during his four, now five years at Denver. It seems like the only thing that he hasn’t been able to do at DU is win a national title, something Berg checked off of his bucket list as a senior in 2015. Now, with Walker’s passing and scoring touch combined with the best faceoff tandem in the country in TD Ierlan and Alec Stathakis, the 2021 Pioneers are starting to feel at least a little bit like that 2015 squad.
The other thing that the 2015 team had? Excellent goaltending and today, Jack Thompson showed Denver fans a glimpse of what he’s capable of doing when he’s on his game. With eight saves on 13 shots on goal, Thompson – at times singlehandedly – kept the Pioneers in front, In the second quarter, with Marquette buzzing after scoring two quick goals to close the DU lead to 4-3, Thompson took control of the game from his crease and picked up his offensive teammates when they couldn’t add to the lead.
But it wasn’t just Thompson that kept Marquette’s offense at bay. It was Denver’s defense that gave Thompson plenty of support in front of the crease that forced a number of shot clock violations and 16 turnovers overall. Denver has been known as a high-octane offensive-minded team but it has been their defense that has made the Pioneers as dominant as they have been since dropping those two games against Duke and UNC in North Carolina.
It was a perfectly balanced game for the Pioneers in all phases as 11 different Pioneers found the back of the net. Between Sillstrop’s and Hannah’s hat tricks, they only accounted for six of Denver’s 16 goals. Ted Sullivan added two of his own while eight other Pioneers scored one apiece. It’s that kind of balanced attack with an elite defense that is going to take the Pioneers to where they want to go, in Hartford, at the end of May.
TD Ierlan, Jackson Morrill, and Lucas Cotler have grabbed the headlines as the Pios’ elite transfers who have performed at a high level since donning the crimson and gold but this team, all 67 of them together, are beginning to show the lacrosse world who they really are as they’re easily coasting through their BIG EAST schedule. Yeah, it’s the BIG EAST, not the ACC but don’t tell Bill Tierney that. This is what the Pioneers expect to do day-in, day-out, regardless of who their opponent is.
Bill Tierney Postgame
Highlights
Hannah's bouncer ties things up at 1#PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/WfHbfGalcM
— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
Simmons takes a feed from Morrill for his first of the afternoon.
Morrill's point streak up to 66 games.#PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/H4ONG2PCI5— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
Sillstrop's first of the day, and his first at home since coming back from his injury.
3-1 Pios.#PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/L95kuMoxTy— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
TUNA in transition makes it 4-1.#PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/F9KRckIwD8
— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
Hannah's second of the game off a big save from Thompson on the other end.
Lead back to two.#PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/L6wOK0v9Fb— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
Big stop from Thompson, second on as many possessions. Denver clears.#PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/BpMVTU4MzL
— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
Walker's record-breaking point. #PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/lB8BFyjmoM
— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
Big time block from Logan and a save from Thompson on the rebound. #PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/KbLJe37HsF
— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
Sullivan with a goal off a beautiful feed from Morrill.#PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/ITZM5eBNGX
— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
Sillstrop with a wonderful cut, and Walker finds him.
8-4 Pios.#PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/AzloEieQa7— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
Sullivan's second of the day opens the fourth-quarter scoring.#PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/8a1mMnterD
— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
Cotler calls Corner Pocket.
11-4 Pios.#PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/rwr4Lx0vHQ— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
Blair unassisted on the next possession pushes the lead to 8.#PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/unmHjyBNwp
— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
Hat trick Hannah, this one on the man-up to make it 13-5.#PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/T6HHPzi0XB
— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
How about this for your first shot of the afternoon.
Erickson from Geis to make it 14-6.#PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/Lufi7Wp0hv— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
Dwinell from Marrocco is Denver's 11th scorer of the day across 15 goals this afternoon.#PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/wAzjl31cJF
— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
Back-handed shovel shot completes Sillstrop's third career hat trick to cap off the scoring here at #PeterBartonLS#PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/UKWXFOSiIJ
— Denver Men’s Lacrosse (@DU_MLAX) April 3, 2021
Top photo of Ethan Walker courtesy of Denver Athletics
DU is jelling before our eyes. Patient, experienced, mature, deep, healthy, unselfish, and skilled at all positions. The Pioneers now look like the top 5 team we’d hoped they be this season. 11 different DU scorers today, even with the Marquette goalie having a big day.
Marquette was scrappy and disruptive for a while with defensive looks that confused DU into turnovers early, but the Pios stuck with it, executed the coaching staff’s adjustments and blew the game open in the second half.
Well done.
Improving in almost every facet of their game.