It took all of seven seconds for Rockhurst to score the first of what would be 20 goals against Olathe in the Lacrosse Association of Kansas City (LAKC) semifinal match on May 22, 2024. Things didn’t get much better from there for the 5th-seed. Olathe would only be able to muster five goals of their own as the top-seeded Hawklets rolled into the championship match.
Sophomore face off, get off (FOGO) Gentry Curtis won the first possession of the game, sprinted down the field and scored, giving Rockhurst a lead they would never relinquish.
All of 43 seconds later, senior Jack Bichelmeyer tallied his first goal of the game. Then, just 90 seconds into the match, senior Colin Komenda got in on the action, scoring a goal of his own. Rockhurst didn’t give up possession for the first two minutes of the match.
After notching three goals in the first 1:30 of the game, the Hawklets went into a bit of a lull. They had trouble maintaining possession, committed a couple penalties that left them short-handed and couldn’t cash in on goal-scoring opportunities. It wasn’t until after Olathe scored their first of the match with 3:37 left in the 1st quarter that Rockhurst was able to get going again. Senior Luke McNamara put one by the goalie less than 20 seconds later.
Olathe would score one more before the period ended, but the Hawklets led 4-2. That was as close as Olathe would get the rest of the night.
McNamara opened the scoring in the second quarter with another goal 1:23 into the period. Then, the Rockhurst defense stepped up, specifically sophomore goalie Draden Torline. Fresh off being named LAKC 2nd team All-Metro, Torline stopped three shots in a span of a little more than two minutes.
Bichelmeyer tallied his second goal of the match with 6:19 to play, giving Rockhurst a 6-2 advantage.
Olathe would score their only goal of the 2nd quarter a minute and a half later, when a Torline deflection led to a quick, easy put-back.
Rockhurst finished the period scoring three goals within the last four minutes, with McNamara, Komenda and junior Sam Komenda all netting one to give the Hawklets a 9-3 lead at half.
Colin Komenda and McNamara each notched a goal within the first 2:06 of the 3rd quarter to stretch Rockhurst’s advantage to 11-3. Olathe would get one back, but the Hawklets continued to pour it on, getting goals from McNamara, Bichelmeyer, senior Teddy Brewster and Komenda to end the period up 15-4.
Due to the scoring margin, a running clock was used in the 4th quarter. Bichelmeyer and McNamara would each add a goal to their totals in the final frame, their fourth and sixth of the match, respectively, but the Hawklets also received contributions from others. Senior Jackson Effertz scored with 6:25 to go. Curtis scored again off the subsequent face-off. Then, junior Burke Hakes got in on the goal-scoring action, notching his first of the game with about 1:20 to go, securing Rockhurst’s 20-5 win.
The victory sends the Hawklets back to the LAKC championship, where they will face Lancers Lacrosse. Rockhurst beat the Lancers 20-10 in their only meeting this season on April 9. A win would give the Hawklets their fourth straight league title and eleventh overall.
