University of Richmond Athletics
Saturday, May 3
Philadelphia, Pa.
Noon
University of Richmond
13-3
16
vs
10
High Point (Finals)
7-9
1
2
3
4
F
High Point
2
3
2
3
10
Richmond
3
4
4
5
16
CHAMPIONS! Spiders Run Away From High Point to Claim Atlantic 10 Title
05/03/2025 | Men's Lacrosse
Philadelphia – For the sixth time in just 12 years, the University of Richmond men's lacrosse team is headed to the NCAA Tournament after a 16-10 victory over High Point on Saturday in the Atlantic 10 Championship game at Saint Joseph's Sweeney Field.
The Spiders, whose trip to Saturday's final marked the program's 11th in as many years—the nation's longest active streak— used a pair of three-goal runs to take a 6-4 lead into halftime before unleashing on the Panthers in the second half and outpacing them, 9-5.
High Point scored the first goal of the game at 11:30 in the first and again at 10:49.
High Point called a timeout at 8:29. From there, Richmond was able to regroup and scored three unanswered goals between 3:17 and 2:06 in the opening frame.
Aidan O'Neil scored unassisted, then Jared Chenoy won the ensuing faceoff and found Lucas Littlejohn for a goal, then Joe Sheridan's unassisted goal at 2:06 gave Richmond its first lead of the game.
High Point snapped Richmond's run with a goal at 13:17 in the second to make things even again, but Richmond responded on its next possession when O'Neil found Sheridan in front to take back the lead.
Richmond tacked on two more to extend its second three-goal run when Daniel Picart and Max Merklinger added back-to-back goals at 10:57 and 10:10. High Point added a man-down goal in transition at 1:52, then added another at 1:08 to pull within one. Creo added another Spider tally unassisted after he dodged from the restraining line as time winded down and fired a shot on the run to the top left corner of the cage.
Like they did in the first half, High Point opened scoring in the second with a goal at 11:24. Sheridan added his third of the game to secure the hat trick at 9:02 to put the Spiders up, 8-6, then the Panthers answered back at 7:54 to pull within one.
Picart added his second point of the day when he assisted Creo on his second goal of the game at 4:09 in the third, then Picart added his second at 1:52 in the third to put Richmond up by three— its largest lead of the game at that point. Chenoy extended the lead with a goal at 1:42 off a pass from Jack Pilling after winning the faceoff.
Picart put the Spiders up by five with his first career hat trick, finding the cage off a pass from Creo at 13:40, then Littlejohn scored off a feed from Merklinger to make it 13-7 and help the Spiders pull away even further.
High Point responded with a goal at 10:15, but Charlie Packard answered back with his first goal of the season at 9:16 to make it 14-8. Richmond kept its foot on the gas, with Merklinger scoring his second of the game on the doorstep off a feed from O'Neil, then O'Neil added his second goal and fourth point at 5:00 to cap Richmond's scoring.
High Point added two more goals in the game's final 1:31, but it wouldn't be enough as the Spiders ran away with their second Atlantic 10 title and sixth overall conference championship.
Richmond, the nation's second-best clearing team, was a perfect 19-of-19 on clears to High Point's 17-of-19 and won the ground ball game, 37-26. Richmond nearly doubled High Point's shots, rattling off 42 to the Panthers' 23.
Richmond's defense, ranked second in the country, was anchored by Zach Vigue with four saves, and Hunter Smith, Mitchell Dunham and Tommy Stull came up big, recording three caused turnovers each. Stull, Chenoy and Jack Pilling picked up four ground balls, while Littlejohn came up with six.
After the game, six Spiders were named to the All-Tournament team in Mitchell Dunham, Aidan O'Neil, Daniel Picart, Hunter Smith and Tommy Stull, while Joe Sheridan was named the conference's Most Outstanding Performer.
The Spiders will find out their NCAA tournament draw tomorrow night during the NCAA Div. I Men's Lacrosse Selection Show set for 9:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
The Spiders, whose trip to Saturday's final marked the program's 11th in as many years—the nation's longest active streak— used a pair of three-goal runs to take a 6-4 lead into halftime before unleashing on the Panthers in the second half and outpacing them, 9-5.
High Point scored the first goal of the game at 11:30 in the first and again at 10:49.
High Point called a timeout at 8:29. From there, Richmond was able to regroup and scored three unanswered goals between 3:17 and 2:06 in the opening frame.
Aidan O'Neil scored unassisted, then Jared Chenoy won the ensuing faceoff and found Lucas Littlejohn for a goal, then Joe Sheridan's unassisted goal at 2:06 gave Richmond its first lead of the game.
High Point snapped Richmond's run with a goal at 13:17 in the second to make things even again, but Richmond responded on its next possession when O'Neil found Sheridan in front to take back the lead.
Richmond tacked on two more to extend its second three-goal run when Daniel Picart and Max Merklinger added back-to-back goals at 10:57 and 10:10. High Point added a man-down goal in transition at 1:52, then added another at 1:08 to pull within one. Creo added another Spider tally unassisted after he dodged from the restraining line as time winded down and fired a shot on the run to the top left corner of the cage.
Like they did in the first half, High Point opened scoring in the second with a goal at 11:24. Sheridan added his third of the game to secure the hat trick at 9:02 to put the Spiders up, 8-6, then the Panthers answered back at 7:54 to pull within one.
Picart added his second point of the day when he assisted Creo on his second goal of the game at 4:09 in the third, then Picart added his second at 1:52 in the third to put Richmond up by three— its largest lead of the game at that point. Chenoy extended the lead with a goal at 1:42 off a pass from Jack Pilling after winning the faceoff.
Picart put the Spiders up by five with his first career hat trick, finding the cage off a pass from Creo at 13:40, then Littlejohn scored off a feed from Merklinger to make it 13-7 and help the Spiders pull away even further.
High Point responded with a goal at 10:15, but Charlie Packard answered back with his first goal of the season at 9:16 to make it 14-8. Richmond kept its foot on the gas, with Merklinger scoring his second of the game on the doorstep off a feed from O'Neil, then O'Neil added his second goal and fourth point at 5:00 to cap Richmond's scoring.
High Point added two more goals in the game's final 1:31, but it wouldn't be enough as the Spiders ran away with their second Atlantic 10 title and sixth overall conference championship.
Richmond, the nation's second-best clearing team, was a perfect 19-of-19 on clears to High Point's 17-of-19 and won the ground ball game, 37-26. Richmond nearly doubled High Point's shots, rattling off 42 to the Panthers' 23.
Richmond's defense, ranked second in the country, was anchored by Zach Vigue with four saves, and Hunter Smith, Mitchell Dunham and Tommy Stull came up big, recording three caused turnovers each. Stull, Chenoy and Jack Pilling picked up four ground balls, while Littlejohn came up with six.
After the game, six Spiders were named to the All-Tournament team in Mitchell Dunham, Aidan O'Neil, Daniel Picart, Hunter Smith and Tommy Stull, while Joe Sheridan was named the conference's Most Outstanding Performer.
The Spiders will find out their NCAA tournament draw tomorrow night during the NCAA Div. I Men's Lacrosse Selection Show set for 9:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
Team Stats
HPUM
RIC
Shots
23
42
Turnovers
20
8
Caused Turnovers
6
15
Faceoffs Won
18
12
Extra-Man Opps
0
3
Ground Balls
26
37
Game Leaders
Players
G
3
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
3
A
1
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
2
A
2
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
2
A
1
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
0
Players Mentioned
FO
/ Men's Lacrosse
D
/ Men's Lacrosse
A
/ Men's Lacrosse
A
/ Men's Lacrosse
A
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's LacrosseM
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
D
/ Men's Lacrosse
LSM/D
/ Men's Lacrosse
G
/ Men's LacrosseMen's Lacrosse NCAA Quarterfinals Postgame Press Conference
Monday, May 19
Men's Lacrosse NCAA Quarterfinals Preview Press Conference
Thursday, May 15
Men's Lacrosse NCAA Tournament First Round Postgame Press Conference
Saturday, May 10
Men's Lacrosse Selection Show Press Conference
Sunday, May 04