BALTIMORE – Loyola University Maryland's Matthew Minicus earned a spot on this week's United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) National Team of the Week after an eight-point outing Friday night in the Greyhounds' win over Navy.
 
Minicus contributed to 50 percent of Loyola's goals in the 16-11 win, scoring five times and assisting on three others.
 
The junior from Darien, Connecticut, scored two first-quarter goals and then completed his first-half hat trick with 18 seconds left in the second to give Loyola an 8-7 lead at halftime.
 
After the Midshipmen tied the game at 8-8 just 49 seconds into the third quarter, Minicus was involved in the next three goals to help Loyola go up 11-8.
 
He assisted on a Luke Murphy goal at 8:48 in the third quarter, and he then scored one of his own with a Kenan Everhart assist just over two minutes later. He added a second assist in the quarter when he threw through the Navy defense to Brady West on the backside pipe for an extra-man goal with 1:59 to play in the third.
 
Minicus leads the Greyhounds in goals (24), assists (26) and points (50) this season. In the last four games, during which Loyola is 3-1, Minicus has scored 16 goals and assisted on eight more while shooting .516.
 
He is the second Greyhounds player in as many weeks to be named to the USILA Team of the Week, joining freshman Mason Cook who earned the recognition last week. A total of three Loyola players have been honored this season with Remi Reynolds being recognized in February.