The Hawkeyes completed an undefeated season after knocking off the Royals 14-13 in overtime to capture their first National Collegiate Box Series (NCBS) Cup. The game was one of the most exciting finals in the event’s five-year history.
“I think every year we come into this, we’re expecting the talent to get better and better,” said NCBS Commissioner Charlie Ragusa. “I think today was an example of that. Both of these teams battled it out, not only in pool play, but throughout their summers and regular seasons. It is a rivalry, and from the moment the first whistle went off to the final goal, it was a battle the entire time.”
The rivalry between the Hawkeyes and Royals intensified Saturday as the two teams fought for the NCBS Cup for the second straight summer. Last year, the California Collegiate Box Lacrosse League (CACBLL) champion Royals defeated the Hawkeyes 8-6 to win their third straight national title.
The Royals were one goal away from raising the Cup once again, but Matthew Blythe’s goal 35 seconds into overtime handed the San Diego-based club its first-ever championship game loss.
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“It felt awesome. I went to the middle and got open,” said Blythe. “They were pressing out on (Zachary) Terry all game. I knew if I set a good pick, I would be open. Thomas (Gravino) found me in the middle, and all I had to do was finish. I had the easy job.”
The game was a high-scoring affair, showcasing the Hawkeyes’ balanced offense. Seven different players scored in the title game. Gravino led the way with five goals and two assists, while Blythe and Colin Sharkey each notched two goals and one assist. Conner Fingar, Ashton Burian, and Colt Green added single tallies.
Leading scorer Zachary Terry was limited to one assist, which allowed his fellow offensive players more open space.
“It’s all about chemistry and trust,” said Terry, who posted 23 goals in the tournament. “I know I am known as a goal scorer, but if they are going to lock me off, good for them. We have five other guys who can put the ball into the back of the net.”
The Royals were powered offensively by Chad Palumbo, who put on a goal-scoring clinic. The Princeton attackman scored seven goals and added two assists. He was instrumental in the Royals’ fast start in the opening frame. He also was there time and time again to get the go-ahead goal for his team. He gave the Royals the lead three times, including twice in the second quarter and once in the fourth.
“Chad has an incredibly bright future,” said Royals head coach Cam Holding. “He has such a creative game and sees things develop so slowly. He can shoot from the outside, drive the middle, and finish the ball, making him a 100/100 player on the floor. I am excited to keep working with him for the next few years and hope to watch him in the NLL one day.”
His knack for the net was evident in the opening frame. After the Hawkeyes’ Conner Fingar opened the scoring in transition 36 seconds into the game, the Royals responded in force, as did Palumbo. The Royals’ leading scorer owned the first quarter, posting four of his team’s six tallies. His back-to-back tallies gave the Royals a 5-2 advantage. However, he was not done, scoring off a shot from near midfield at 10:43 to give San Diego a 6-3 lead.
The Hawkeyes, however, battled back from a pair of three-goal deficits in the first quarter with timely goals. The Rochester team’s three-goal run in a span of 1:08 tied the game at six. University of Maryland’s Thomas Gravino scored two straight goals 23 seconds apart to make it 6-5. Gravino then found an open Nate Senez on the crease for a goal with one second to play in a wild first quarter.
The game went back and forth for the rest of the contest, with neither team taking more than a one-goal lead. The Royals grabbed a one-goal lead before halftime on Palumbo’s sixth marker of the game off a crease dive. The goal came 20 seconds after the Hawkeyes had tied the game on Senez’s second of the contest.
Rochester responded in the third quarter, forcing three ties. The Hawkeyes finally took the lead back with four seconds to play in the quarter. Sharkey intercepted a pass, firing it from center and into an empty net. The Royals had pulled their goalie to set up for the final shot of the third.
“I felt pretty good about it,” said Sharkey. “I was just in the right place at the right time. I just took that opportunity and capitalized.”
In the fourth quarter, the Royals were forced to find the tying goals. Casey Ryan tied the game at 12 with a diving goal that beat the shot clock. The Hawkeyes countered with a breakaway tally by Ashton Burian. The Royals then pulled their goalie and found the equalizer as Tayden Bultman rifled a low shot into the net with just 26 seconds to play.
The Royals had a chance to win it in regulation, but John Jacobs denied Palumbo on the doorstep with four seconds to play.
In overtime, it took one possession to end it as the Hawkeyes got the winner from this year’s most improved player. Matthew Blythe. The goal ended an instant classic and helped the Hawkeyes complete a perfect 14-0 season.
“It was incredible to see where we started from and where we finished,” said Hawkeyes head coach Dan Coates. “I have never seen a group of guys come together like that. It was a true brotherhood. They played for each other. That game was one of the most exciting I have ever been a part of.”
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The game was a fitting ending to an incredible NCBS National Championship. The American talent on display wowed fans at the Utica University Nexus Center and others watching online, courtesy of the National Lacrosse League.
“That is the matchup fans wanted to see, and they certainly got their money’s worth,” said Holding. “What an exciting game between two teams leaving everything on the floor. The American box lacrosse game is getting better, and we are showcasing some serious athletic abilities by these players. I am looking forward to seeing what the future years bring.”
