(Photo Courtesy of Army West Point Athletics)

Army West Point is headed back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019.

The Black Knights took down the Loyola Greyhounds 10-8 in the Patriot League title game on Sunday afternoon.

While Ryan Sposito (2G/2A), Reese Burek (2G/1A), Jacob Morin (2G/1A), and Paul Johnson (2G) were all apart of a well-rounded offensive effort in the win, the story of the day was at the faceoff dot. Will Coletti went 18-for-22 (81%) in a dominating performance against Loyola’s Eric Pacheco (2-for-18) and Sawyer Allen (2-for-8). Coletti also collected six ground balls in the victory.

Knox Dent made 14 saves with a 63% save percentage to anchor and Army defense that held Loyola to its lowest goal total in over a month. Army beat Loyola 10-5 on March 25 in a game that saw Loyola have its absolute lowest goal total of the year.

Loyola scored the five of the final six goals of the day and was able to cut the Army lead to 10-8 with 1:26 left. Coletti won the ensuing faceoff following the score from Adam Poitras to make it a two-goal. game and the Black Knights were able to run the clock out and ensure the win. Poitras had scored minutes prior to make it a 10-7 game with 2:59 left.

Army opened the contest with three consecutive scores from Jacob Morin, Reese Burek, and Gunnar Fellows to make it a 3-0 game. The Black Knights used a six-goal run that stretch from the middle of the second through the middle of the third quarter to help them fully swing this contest in their direction.

It was a 6-3 Army lead at the half but that had grown to 9-3 by the 9:40 mark of the third quarter.

Adam Poitras (3G/1A) led Loyola. Luke Staudt made 11 saves with a 52% save percentage.

Army (12-3, 7-1 Patriot League) will find out where they are slotted in the NCAA Tournament tonight.