Michigan State takes on Defending National Champion Grand Canyon in 1st round of MCLA tournament

The #14 seed Spartan Men's Lacrosse team drew the #3 seed and defending MCLA Division 1 national champion Grand Canyon University Lopes for the opening round of the 20th MCLA national championship tournament Monday night. The May 9 game will face off at 7:30 pm EDT (4:30 pm PDT) and can be viewed  live on MCLA.us.

Grand Canyon, ranked #4 nationally by Laxpower, enters the game with a 10-4 record having lost last weekend in the finals of the SLC conference tournament to MCLA tournament #1 seed Chapman by one goal. 

Michigan State (8-4), ranked #13 nationally, has won seven games in a row and comes into the national tournament expecting to play well. The Spartans defeated #11 Davenport University last weekend for their fifth consecutive Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association title. MSU head coach Cam Holding: "Our team is playing its best lacrosse of the season and we like the match up with Grand Canyon. They are obviously a very accomplished and successful team who we have the utmost respect for. We look forward to the challenge of playing the defending national champions Monday night."

Last March, the Lopes dismantled an injury & illness depleted Spartan squad 17-4 at home in Phoenix. Michigan State is hoping for a different outcome this time. "The Michigan State team is playing in the national tournament for the seventh consecutive year so we have players who have been here before." said MSU assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Dan Catzere. "Grand Canyon plays a similar style to other teams we are familiar with and hopefully that will translate into some success for us Monday night."

Monday's game will played on the campus of UC-Irvine in Orange County California.