SAN ANTONIO – UTSA hockey swept Tulane University with a 15-3 win on Saturday and a 10-4 win on Sunday at the Ice & Golf Center at Northwoods.
Game One
The first period started off with a goal by graduate left wing forward Travis Sorce assisted by senior forward Jonathan Blum. Tulane scored in minute seven, and Sorce scored a top-shelf insurance goal shortly after. The period ended with two other goals by junior forward Jaylen Mendez in the last five minutes.
Mendez, graduate defenseman Jordan Nolan and freshman defenseman Justin Trevino scored during the second period. Tulane managed to pass UTSA’s defense and scored its third goal, but after stealing the puck back and forth, freshman forward Caden Wong shot the tenth goal assisted by junior forward Owen Reel.
Junior left defenseman Camila Rohde played for the first time in a competition since 2024, becoming the team’s assists leader in the match with three points per game.
“Cami was awesome,” head coach Zac Swank shared. “We knew that she grew up playing hockey in El Paso, so I expected her to be solid, and she showed up and performed very well. She was the player of the game for us for sure.”
Sophomore forward Jackson Stubblefield opened the third period’s scoreboard on minute three followed by Blum shortly after. Many bodychecks and battles for the puck led to an accidental knee-to-knee injury for Mendez, who was escorted out by the team’s trainer.
Blum and freshman defenseman Thad Bielanski scored in the last five minutes, followed by Sorce who scored the 15th and winning goal during a 4-on-5 UTSA power play.
“I was a little nervous ‘cause it’s been a while, but I had a lot of fun. I wish it was a little more competitive,” Rohde shared. “It was more of a fun game than a heated one.”
Game Two
The first period started with a 4-on-4 for holding. Tulane opened the scoring in the middle of the period, yet Mendez was quick to score two minutes later. Wong buried two goals back-to-back in the last five minutes, while Trevino registered multiple bodychecks on the boards.
Reel scored the fifth goal of the second period two minutes in. Mendez and a Tulane defender got dragged to the penalty box for roughing, leading to a 4-on-4. Stubblefield scored in the middle of the game followed by a 5-on-4 Tulane power play. Scrums along the boards switched the power play to a 5-on-4 favoring UTSA. Three minutes before the buzzer blared, Mendez scored unassisted, followed by Nolan and Blum with 41 seconds remaining.
“I thought it was a special game for our seniors,” Swank shared. “You see guys like Chicken Joe [Konner Wilson] getting assists and guys who didn’t get points all year finally getting on the board, and it’s a full circle on the season. Joe, our goalie, played out, had a breakaway at the end, almost scored. There’s a lot of positive moments to take from the skim.”
The third period was the most action-packed of the game. Stubblefield scored during minute 17. Multiple visits to the penalty box due to roughing and slashing made Tulane 5-on-4’s consistent throughout the period. Grainer shot the 10th and last goal of the season, followed by Trevino getting expelled of the game triumphantly for fighting and causing one last 5-on-4 power play.
“It’s emotional to see how far we’ve grown, and obviously, when you put so much time into something, it slowly starts becoming your identity, something you’re beyond proud of,” senior forward Joshua Lecomte shared.
“I built this program with my friends, and we didn’t really think this was gonna be as big as it is today. It’s just amazing,” Blum commented.
UTSA hockey finished the spring with an 8-4 record, including wins over the University of Houston and Louisiana State University. The Roadrunners will return this fall.
