Lincoln, Smith and Gajic lead DU in win
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – Sophomore Ilija Gajic (Burnaby, B.C.) recorded an unassisted goal with 40 seconds remaining in the game for the game winner, as the University of Denver men’s lacrosse team topped No. 7 Notre Dame 9-8 on Saturday afternoon at Toyota Park in the Great Western Lacrosse League home opener.
“This is a great way to begin conference play,” head coach Jamie Munro said. “And now we are on a roll going into our final home weekend. These guys never gave up today, even when we were down 6-1. This team has shown a fight all season and today it paid off.”
The Pioneers (7-4, 1-0 GWLL) trailed 3-0 in the first when freshman Jamie Lincoln (St. Cathariens, Ontario), on an assist from Gajic, put DU on the board.
Denver trailed 6-1 before rattling off five unanswered goals to pull even with the Fighting Irish (7-2, 1-1 GWLL).
Notre Dame took a 7-6 lead before junior Cliff Smith (Surrey, B.C.) recorded his second goal of the game to knot the game at 7-7.
The Pioneers found themselves down 8-7 in the fourth but Lincoln notched his third goal of the game, his third hat trick in as many games, to tie the game with 6:49 remaining.
DU had a chance to take the lead with 3:42 remaining in the game but senior Brett Koll’s (Fort Collins, Colo.) shot went wide. Smith’s shot with 1:19 remaining was stopped by ND’s goalie Joey Kemp.
Gajic scored with 40 second remaining to give the Pioneers’ their only lead of the game. Junior goalie Austin Konkel (Aurora, Colo.) stopped a shot by Grant Kerbs with 19 seconds remaining to keep the Fighting Irish off the board.
Konkel had 11 saves in the game, while Lincoln had three goals and one assist for the Pioneers to lead the team in scoring.
ND’s Ryan Hoff had a hat trick, recording three goals in the contest.
DU wraps up the 2008 home campaign next weekend hosting Quinnipiac on Friday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Bellarmine on Sunday, April 13 at 1:30 p.m.








