HUNTSVILLE | The No. 2 seed University of Alabama in Huntsville men's lacrosse team punched its ticket to the title game of the 2021 Peach Belt Conference Championship tournament on Wednesday, winning 20-10 over No. 3 seed Lander at Charger Park. The Chargers improve to 6-7 on the season, while the Bearcats fall to 6-5.
 
UAH will play the winner of top-seeded Montevallo and fourth-seeded Shorter at the site of the highest remaining seed on Saturday for the championship.
 
The contest was nip-and-tuck through the first quarter with Josh Campbell's goal with 90 seconds left in the period giving UAH a 4-3 lead, but after a pair of Lander goals sandwiched two UAH strikes to make it 6-5 in favor of the Chargers with 9:32 remaining in the second, the game would completely tilt in favor of the hosts.
 
Luke LeVette – who entered the game tied for fifth among active Division II players in career goals – scored one of his team-high five goals to start what would be a string of six straight for the Chargers, a run that lasted into the third quarter when Jacob Glen closed out the spurt and lifted UAH to a 12-6 lead just over five minutes into the third.
 
By the end of the third when Brody Phillips scored, the Chargers were on top 17-8, and the hosts would add three more before Lander struck for a late pair in the fourth to create the 20-10 final.
 
Offensively, Preston Deno finished just one point off of LeVette's team-high five as he had four thanks to three goals and an assist, while Phillips also had four points with a goal and three assists. Logging a three-point day with two goals and an assist was Emory Weaver, and Kyle Light matched Weaver with a pair of scores.
 
In total, 12 different Chargers scored in the contest including Reid Vender who had a goal and an assist, while each of Josh Campbell, Parker Davie, Caleb Merrow, Jacob Glen, Greyson Stevens, and Donald Thetford also had a goal each.
 
James Cox and Bryant Baus picked up assists.
 
In the cage, the two-time PBC Player of the Week Zak Welsh made 13 more saves in earning the win.
 
Led by Silas Herman and Joseph Stuber who both had four, UAH picked up 31 ground balls to Lander's 30, and UAH also enjoyed a 27-23 margin in shots on goal. In clear attempts, the Chargers were 27-for-28, while Lander was 19-for-25.