Men's Lacrosse Drops Home Contest to Ottawa

Marshall, Mo., (March 18, 2026)- The Missouri Valley College men's lacrosse team hosted Ottawa (Kan.) in a non-conference match, Wednesday afternoon, inside Volney C. Ashford Stadium.  The Vikings dropped the contest, 8-5.

The game started with an early shot from Junior Midfielder Jayden Franklin (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) that went high.  Teams traded possession over the next stretch of play, but Ottawa eventually moved in front, scoring the first goal with just over five minutes into the contest.  The Braves added another goal moments later to make it a 2-0 score.  The two teams traded possession through the rest of the quarter, where Missouri Valley created some chances as each, Freshman Defender Jacob Susa (Suamico, Wisc.), Freshman Attacker Kael Pierquet (Sobieski, Wisc.) and Freshman Defender Preston Nicholson (Lee's Summit, Mo.) had a shot on target, but the attempts were saved.  Goalkeeper Branden Brewer (Renton, Wash.) came up with a save with under a minute to play to keep the scoreboard close, 2-0.

The second quarter started with the Braves scoring an early goal to hold a 3-0 lead.  The Vikings created some offense as both Pierquet and Nicholson had two shots on goal, but they were saved near the 13-minute mark.  Missouri Valley eventually scored, as Sophomore Midfielder Daniel Venson (Waldorf, Md.) assisted Nicholson, who finished off with a goal just over three minutes into the quarter to cut its deficit down to 3-1.  The Braves responded by adding another goal quickly after the faceoff.  The teams traded possession midway through the quarter, where Nicholson had a shot on target that was saved.  The Vikings deficit grew as Ottawa made it a 6-1 advantage near the two-minute mark.  Junior Defender Andrew Mittl (Canberra, Australia) had the final shot for MVC, but Missouri Valley went into halftime trailing, 6-1.

The third quarter started with the two teams trading possession over the first six minutes, which included two saves from Brewer, and two shots on target for the Vikings.  The Braves used a man-up opportunity to score a goal near the nine-minute mark to make it a 7-1 score.  Pierquet followed with another shot moments later, but the attempt was saved, and then Ottawa added one more goal with under five minutes to play, extending the lead, 8-1.  Both teams tested the goalkeepers in the end of the quarter, but the Braves led going into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter featured two goals from Franklin to close the gap to 8-3 with less than three minutes after the restart.  Ottawa had a shot over the next stretch of play, but it was saved by Brewer, and Missouri Valley added another goal from Franklin cutting the team's deficit, 8-4 near the nine-minute mark.  Possession was traded through the rest of the game, and the Vikings worked a goal with under two minutes to play in the game, as Pierquet set up Venson with a goal to shrink the deficit down to 8-5.  Missouri Valley was unable to create more offense and fell by a final score of 8-5.

Franklin led the team with twelve shots on goal, three goals and six ground balls.  Nicholson followed with seven shots, one goal, and four ground balls, while Venson chipped in with one goal and one assist. Brewer made 16 saves in goal.  Missouri Valley forced Ottawa into 23 turnovers, came up with 21 ground balls, and won seven total faceoffs.

Missouri Valley drops to 0-5 on the season and 0-1 in the Heart.  Ottawa moves to 1-6 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

Up next, the men's lacrosse team will host Benedictine (Kan.), in a non-conference match , Sunday at 3 p.m., inside Volney C. Ashford Stadium. 

Box Score - Click Here

About Missouri Valley College

Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.