St. Thomas Rolls Past Yotes

SALT LAKE CITY – For the fourth straight season, St. Thomas will be playing in national championship game after the Tommies cruised past previously undefeated College of Idaho, 18-7, at the 2019 MCLA National Championships powered by Under Armour.

St. Thomas (10-4) moves on to the national championship game at 11 a.m. MDT on Saturday against UMLC rival Dayton.

The Tommies had a pair of goals on the board barely three minutes into the contest, but the College of Idaho (14-1) pulled a goal back on a Ryan Henning strike. Bolstered by two goals from Alex Vijums, St. Thomas finished the first quarter on a four-goal run for a 6-1 bulge after 15.

Vijums potted two more goals in the second as the Tommies expanded the lead to 10-2 at the break.

The Yotes opened the third quarter with a goal less than a minute in by R.J. Walker, but St. Thomas answered quickly. The College of Idaho could not build any momentum against the pressure-packed Tommies defense.

Vijums finished the afternoon with five goals while Jack Stanchfield posted two goals and five assists for a game-high seven points. Jack Kilibarda tacked on two goals and two dimes. Drew Bouman made 10 stops in the Tommies net.

Casey Davies had a hat trick for the Yotes while Joey Brant chipped in with a goal and an assist. Cade Brown made nine saves.