DETROIT (4/11/2026) -- Redshirt sophomore Marcus Thundercloud had a career-tying four goals, and freshman Luke Zajdel tallied his first career hat trick as the University of Detroit Mercy men's lacrosse team was victorious at home under the lights on Saturday night, 10-8, over Cleveland State.

Thundercloud also added an assist for five points. Freshman Dylan Belliveau added a goal and an assist, while the long poles of senior Sean Henige and freshman Tyler Francis-Renner also scored a goal.

Redshirt junior Cooper St. Clair made 16 saves and picked up four ground balls, and sophomore Canton Lanham was 12-of-18 with a game-high eight ground balls in faceoffs.

The game was tied at 8-8 when sophomore Conner Kunce won a faceoff, and then Cleveland State (5-6, 3-2 NEC) drew a penalty. With the extra-man advantage, sophomore Andrew Parker - who recorded a pair of assists - fed Zajdel for the go-ahead goal at the 5:01 mark. 

UDM would force a failed clear, and Zajdel found the back of the net for the dagger and a 10-8 lead with just under three minutes remaining. Henige then came up with a big takeaway with 1:53 left, and the Titans were able to run out the clock the rest of the way for the win. 

Sophomore Ian Greenwell ended with a career-tying three caused turnovers and six ground balls. Henige had a caused turnover and three GB's, and senior Kyle Grant had a takeaway and two ground balls.

UDM won the battle of ground balls, 32-26, won 14-of-22 faceoffs in the game, and was 3-of-4 on the extra man, while forcing CSU into 17 turnovers.

The Vikings scored the first two goals of the day, but a Lanham win helped set up Thundercloud's first marker. Later on, Zajdel netted his first to knot it at 2-2, and Francis-Renner took a pass from Belliveau to make it 3-2 with over a minute to go in the opening frame. 

The red, white and blue would make it four in a row early in the second, as Thundercloud beat the keeper, and Belliveau had the team up 5-3, taking a pass from Thundercloud and finding the back of the net. 

CSU cut it to 5-4 at the break, but in the third, the Titans took advantage of another penalty as graduate senior Harold Skinner dished it to Thundercloud for his hat trick. 

The Vikings came back with three in a row to jump out in front, 7-6, after three periods, but Detroit Mercy started the fourth with a faceoff win from Lanham, and Thundercloud finished the offensive possession with his fourth strike of the game. 

After the Vikings tied it at 7-7, Henige saw the shot clock running down and drilled in his second career goal for an 8-7 advantage with 10:22 on the clock, but Cleveland State again tied it at 8-8 with 5:48 left before the Titans rallied. 

Detroit Mercy will hit the road next Saturday for a trip to Mercyhurst. 

Game Notes: