New Conference, Same Result: Richmond Wins Inaugural A-10 Title

The inaugural Atlantic 10 Men’s Lacrosse Championship went to a team plenty familiar with conference tournament success. Richmond won its fifth conference championship — covering three different conferences — since launching its program just a decade ago, beating High Point 15-8 on its home turf Saturday.

The Spiders won the Atlantic Sun championship in 2014 to reach the NCAA tournament in its first year in existence and then won the Southern Conference championship in 2018, 2019 and 2022.

Though it was a new conference, the Spiders had a familiar opponent in High Point. The two schools were rivals in the Southern Conference, and this was the fourth time they met in a conference championship game. The Spiders 2019 SoCon title came against High Point while both of High Point’s SoCon championships came against Richmond (2015 and 2021).

“We knew it was going to be battle for 60 minutes, they always battle like that,” said Richmond head coach Dan Chemotti. “We have a really strong rivalry and a lot of mutual respect.”

The game turned when Richmond (11-4) scored late in the first half and then opened the third quarter with five straight goals, turning a 5-3 game into an 11-3 affair.

“We were fortunate to get one before halftime and a few after halftime to allow us to play a little more confident,” Chemotti said.

Junior midfielder Lance Madonna, who shifted to attack in the game, had a season-high six points on two goals and four assists to pace the Richmond offense. Madonna had assists on three straight goals during the Spiders 5-0 run to open the third quarter, the last going to his older brother, Derrek Madonna.

Richmond’s offense spread the wealth with 10 different goal scorers and the Spiders have now scored 102 goals during their current six-game winning streak.

Richmond’s defense was equally solid against High Point. Zach Vigue made 14 saves and the Spider defense helped force High Point into 20 turnovers.

Jack Sawyer had a hat trick for High Point (9-8) and Jack Vanoverbeke had four assists. The Panthers’ Collin Hoben won 16 of 21 faceoffs in the game

Richmond’s six-game winning streak came after a 14-12 loss to Saint Joseph’s on April 1. Its otherr three losses came against Top 10 teams — Maryland, Virginia and Georgetown.