Box Score GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.—Westminster and Colorado Mesa met every year in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Championship final since joining the conference in 2015. The Griffins defeated the #18 Mavericks, 17-13, claiming their second tournament championship.
The Griffins defeated the Mavericks for the first time this season and successfully defend their 2019 title, having been denied the chance to defend it last season due to COVID-19.
Colorado Mesa took a took a three-point lead over the Griffins early in the first period.
Jacob Pickett scored his fourth goal of the season to get the Griffins on the scoreboard. A hat-trick by
Spencer Whinery and goals from
Quinn Lewis and
Easton Albert took the Griffins on a 5-0 run to finish the period with a two-point lead, 6-4.
Westminster increased its lead by one in the second period with goals from
Merritt McMahon, Whinery, Pickett and
Chance Beutler. The Griffins began the second period with four unanswered goals for its largest lead of the game, 10-4. Mesa answered with three to finish the half down by three.
The Griffins refused to give up any ground to the hosts as they maintained their three-goal lead into the fourth period with goals from
Gabe Mein,
Marselus Seguin, Whinery and
Chance Beutler in the third period.
The Mavericks scored twice in the fourth period but were answered each time with a goal by Mein and a goal by Pickett. Whinery scored the final goal of the game, with a little more than four minutes left to play, for the final score, 17-13.
Jordan Penn faced 56 shots and made a season-high 14 saves. Penn had a big role in the Griffins gaining the first half lead with five saves in the first period and five in the second period.
Kyle Williams had one caused turnover and led the team with seven ground balls.
Colbey Alsop picked up five ground balls and led the team with two caused turnovers.
Whinery, Mein, Penn, Pickett and Williams were named to the All-Tournament Team. Whinery was named All-Tournament MVP after a terrific weekend tallying 19 points over two games. He recorded eight points from five goals and three assists in tonight's finals and had nine points in the semi-final win over CSU Pueblo.
The Mavericks had four—Trent Pernell, Colin Seedorf, Hunter Holcomb and Tanner Stopkoski—Adams State one—Brendan Williams—and CSU Pueblo had one—Ethan Ferrie—named on the All-Tournament Team.
