LIVONIA, Mich. – The Madonna University Crusaders were back on home turf after playing their first two home games at Detroit Country Day Fieldhouse. #4 University of the Cumberlands made the trip to Livonia, Michigan for a highly anticipated top ten matchup in the NAIA rankings. Cumberlands would get the best of the Crusaders in a chilly afternoon matchup by winning 14-to-9.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

The Patriots would shock the Crusaders by putting up a staggering five goals in 4:40 minutes. Maalek Wilson notched two goals in that time span with Evan Burton, Johnathon Vanover, and Ty Grooms scoring once. It wouldn't take long for the Crusaders to get their first tallies on the board as Shane Alexander breaks wide and beats the goalie to cut Cumberlands lead to four. Just shy of a minute later, Carter Borsos would bury the ball in the back of the net to give the Crusaders their second goal after DeMario Williams delivered a beautiful backdoor pass. With just under two minutes remaining in the first half, Vanover would secure his second goal of the game and give the Patriots their sixth goal of the game to end the first quarter with a four-goal lead.
 
After the quick rest, the Patriots would strike again to extend their lead to five goals when Caden Abbott scored at the 12:47 minute mark in the second quarter. The Crusaders needed an answer to derail Cumberlands' momentum and Benjamin Reidy delivered. Reidy scores almost the exact same way twice as he muscles past the Patriot defender to generate two goals for the Crusaders to make it a 7-to-4 game. Nick Kava and Vanover would both strike to close out the second quarter and send the game into the half with Cumberlands leading 9-to-4.
 
At the beginning of the third quarter, Cumberlands would continue to tack onto their lead with Wilson and Dennis Smith scoring to extend the lead to 11-to-4. Madonna would respond when Borsos would capitalize working down low and beat Jack Bichsel high to give the Crusaders their fifth goal of the game and make it 11-to-5. Patriot, Gabe Schwaiger would answer Borsos' goal to make it a seven-goal game once again. Shortly after, Nick Bryden and Jackson Gradstein would each pick up their first of the game to bring the goal differential to five. Cumberlands' Wilson would continue his dominance by picking up his fourth goal and give the Patriots a 13-to-7 lead going into the fourth quarter.
 
The fourth quarter would see the least amount of scoring throughout the game, but Will Rogers would tack on the Patriot's 14^th and final goal of the game at the 13:46 minute mark. Bryden would score twice within 1:28 minutes of each other to cut the lead to five. Unfortunately, that would be the rest of the scoring for the game despite Madonna's efforts to tack on more. Cumberlands would hold on to move to 4-and-0 overall on the season while the Crusaders moved to a respectable 4-and-2.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Reidy would extend his point-leading position to 31 points with a two-goal and two-assist performance.
• Madonna won the face off battle overall 17-to-9.
• Bryden picks up his first hat trick of the season and moves him into second in goals with nine on the season.

 
UP NEXT:
The Crusaders will have to shake off this loss as they have yet another top five matchup on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, as they travel to Waleska, Georgia to take on #3 Reinhardt University and start a two-game road trip in the peach state. The Crusaders and Eagles are set to face off at 7:00 PM.
 
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