BRAMPTON, Ont. — Jason Knox scored three goals and added six assists as the Nipissing Lakers upset the top-seeded McGill Redbirds 15–12 in a men's sudden-death semifinal at the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association championship Saturday at Terry Fox Stadium.
It marked Nipissing's first-ever victory over McGill, snapping a nine-game losing streak in a rivalry that began in 2016. The win sends the Lakers, who finished second in the CUFLA West with a 7–3 record, into Sunday's gold medal game against the Guelph Gryphons at 1 p.m. for the Baggataway Cup banner.
McGill, which topped the CUFLA East with an 8–2 record, had advanced by edging Ottawa 12–11 in overtime in the quarterfinals. But despite another spirited push, the Redbirds' season ended in heartbreak.
After trailing much of the contest, McGill rallied with three straight goals early in the fourth quarter to tie the game 12–12. Nipissing responded with poise, scoring three unanswered markers in the final minutes to secure its first-ever berth in the national final.
Knox's nine-point soiree was buttressed by Zach Tarr, who netted four goals and two assists. Carter Tait also scored three times, with Kaleb Fulkerson adding a goal and two helpers.
For McGill,
Joshua Jewell had a hat trick, while
Dylan Fenton and
Liam Miletich each scored twice. Single goals came from
Owen Howard,
Charlie Hostetter,
Torsten Blodgett,
Massimo Thauvette and
Preston Norris.
Goalkeeper Connor O'Toole earned the win for Nipissing, while
Brennan Visokey took the loss for McGill. The shots on goal were not made available.
The Lakers will now meet Guelph — a 15–10 winner over Brock in Saturday's other semifinal — as the Gryphons chase their sixth CUFLA title and first since 2014. Nipissing will be seeking its first-ever championship.
McGill head coach Nicolas Soubrey is expecting to lose 10 graduating seniors, including Christopher Koran, Joshua Jewell, Owen Howard, Kyle Glick, Mark Symon, John Miraglia, Adrian Simons, Ben Buzby, Jack Buzby and Henry Komosa.
CUFLA BOXSCORE
At Brampton, Ont. (Terry Fox Stadium)
CUFLA semifinal — Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025
Nipissing 15, McGill 12
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
02:36 — Nipissing, Ben King (Jason Knox)
07:28 — Nipissing, Zach Tarr (Jason Knox)
08:00 — McGill, Torsten Blodgett (unassisted)
09:24 — McGill, Liam Miletich (unassisted)
10:48 — McGill, Joshua Jewell (Rowan Birrell) PP
12:30 — Nipissing, Zach Tarr (unassisted)
Penalties — Nipissing, Curtis Ashkewe 0.5 min; McGill, Rowan Birrell 1 min.
Second Quarter
03:47 — Nipissing, Nick Hulbert (Jason Knox)
04:34 — McGill, Joshua Jewell (unassisted) PP
07:18 — Nipissing, Caleb Bosomworth (Zach Tarr)
10:58 — Nipissing, Jason Knox (unassisted)
11:12 — McGill, Preston Norris (unassisted)
11:41 — Nipissing, Jason Knox (unassisted)
12:12 — McGill, Charlie Hostetter (Dylan Steinwald)
13:04 — Nipissing, Jason Knox (Zach Tarr)
14:00 — McGill, Joshua Jewell (unassisted)
Penalties — Nipissing, Marc-Alexandre Suret 0.5 min; McGill, Jack Buzby 1 min.
Third Quarter
05:17 — McGill, Massimo Thauvette (unassisted)
05:54 — McGill, Owen Howard (unassisted)
07:55 — Nipissing, Kaleb Fulkerson (Jason Knox)
12:36 — Nipissing, Ben King (Jason Knox)
13:49 — Nipissing, Carter Tait (Jason Knox)
14:51 — Nipissing, Zach Tarr (Kaleb Fulkerson)
Penalties — Nipissing, Callum Jeffrey 0.5 min; McGill, Ryder Sunday 1 min.
Fourth Quarter
04:02 — McGill, Dylan Fenton (unassisted)
05:35 — McGill, Liam Miletich (unassisted)
06:59 — McGill, Dylan Fenton (unassisted)
07:58 — Nipissing, Zach Tarr (unassisted) GWG
12:44 — Nipissing, Carter Tait (Kaleb Fulkerson)
14:17 — Nipissing, Carter Tait (unassisted)
Penalties — Nipissing, Jake Gyman 1 min.
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