Utah gave No. 5 Denver everything it had to open the 2021 college lacrosse season on Saturday.
After the Utes jumped out to a 3-1 halftime lead, the Pioneers roared back in the second half to come out on top. For a team tasked with replacing its injured starting goalie Zion Dechesere as well as two starting poles plus 80% of its offensive scoring from a season ago, Utah never gave up.
When Ethan Walker found JJ Sillstrop for a behind-the-back dagger to make it 9-6, the Utes kept fighting. Unsurprised by the way his team competed and never gave up against a team with loftier expectations of getting to Championship Weekend, head coach Brian Holman spoke to IL about his biggest takeaway moving forward.