Box Score SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The 13th-ranked Indiana Tech men's lacrosse team played their best game of the year, upsetting top-ranked St. Thomas (Minn.) 9-8 in overtime on Sunday at Leighton Stadium.

After a hard fought tie sent the game into overtime, the Warriors defense withstood the Tommies (4-1) initial onslaught, forcing a turnover and capitalizing on the transition with a stellar goal from Dan Schaepkens for the season-changing victory.

It was an inauspicious start for the Warriors (4-2) as Joe Palermo and Adam Porter scored two first period goals for the Tommies. There was a silver-lining though as the visitors tallied 10 shots in the period including eight on goal, but Tony Loftus was stellar in goal, tallying six saves.

Collin Hoffman got Tech on the board in the second period as he scored two unassisted goals at the 14:06 and 9:04 marks to tie the game. The tie was short-lived though as one minute later the Tommies took the lead with the first of four unanswered goals to go up 6-2 with 1:37 left in the half. After a pair of penalties put two Warriors in the box, Josh Puckett scored a man-down goal, with an assist from Schaepkens, just 16 seconds before the half.

Whatever Head Coach Terry Nichter told his team at the break worked as Tech opened the third period with four unanswered goals of their own to take a 7-6 lead. Puckett scored three of the goals with Schaepkens adding the fourth tally of the period. Again St. Thomas came right back with a goal from Nicholas Radjenovich, followed-up by a man-up tally from Ryan McNeil for the go-ahead tally.

It was a defensive final period as both goalies made at least three saves and just 17 shots were recorded in the frame. Fortunately for the Warriors, one of their nine shots found the net as Hoffman found Anthony Blaisdell in front of the net for the equalizer with just 6:52 to play.

After withstanding a final push from the Tommies in regulation and again to being the overtime period, Schaepkens fired a bouncing shot toward the goal and snuck the ball between the post and St. Thomas' (Minn.) keeper for the game-winner.

Tech was outshot 43-27 in the contest and the Tommies also collected six more groundballs than the Warriors, however, the difference was in the net as Loftus made a season-high 17 saves compared to just nine for St. Thomas.

Hoffman (2 goals, 2 assists) and Puckett (4 goals) each tallied four points for Tech while Schaepkens finished with three (2 goals, 1 assist). Blaisdell (1 goal), Brian Nichter (1 assist) and Alex Kueck (1 assist) all finished with one point for the home team.

The Warriors return to action on Saturday, Mar. 29 and Sunday, Mar. 30 when they travel to Northbrook, Ill. to face No. 2 St. Johns and No. 9 North Dakota State at the Techny Prairie Fields. Saturday's contest begins at 11:30 AM (CST) with Sunday's contest scheduled for 9:30 AM (CST).