Another game and, despite solid defense, another loss.

Playing its first game inside Michigan Stadium this season, the Michigan men’s lacrosse team suffered another loss, this time to reigning national champions No. 9 Loyola (M.D.), 10-3, on Saturday.

For Michigan (0-9), the loss continues the program’s winless sophomore season. Still, the Wolverines are taking the defeat in stride.

“Defensively, this is one of the best games we’ve played all year,” said senior midfielder Thomas Paras. “The offense was a little slow today, but we are improving in all facets of the game.”

With a 96-percent clear rate, the Wolverine defense was able to hold offensive powerhouse Loyola, a team that averages almost 12 tallies per game, to just 10 goals.

Defenseman Mack Gembis led the way for Michigan, causing two turnovers and picking up a ground ball.

Freshman goalkeeper Gerald Logan gave Michigan its strongest performance on the afternoon. Facing an elite offense, Logan recorded 15 saves for a 60-percent save percentage, and also picked up a team-high seven ground balls. The Greyhounds had 25 shots on net and 40 shots total.

Logan continued what has been an impressive season. The freshman has started all of the Wolverines games, and Logan’s 57.4 save percentage ranks him 11th in Division I. More impressively, his 16 saves a game leads the entire nation.

While the Wolverines played strongly on defense, the offense was anemic all afternoon.

Paras, sophomore attackman Will Meter and freshman attackman Peter Kraus tallied goals for Michigan. Midfielder Kyle Jackson added his team-high seventh assist on the year on Kraus’s third-period goal, while midfielder Mike Hernandez also added seven shots on the game, two of which were on net.

Even good defense and excellent goalie play couldn’t stop the Loyola offensive arsenal. With a pair of hat tricks, one from freshman attackman Zach Herreweyers and the other from All-American attackman Mike Sawyer, the Greyhound attack was potent. Loyola also got two goals from junior attackman Justine Ward, his 40th and 41st points of the season. Ward’s 4.6 points per game rank him in the top 10 in the country.

Michigan kept things close early with strong defense, and Meter’s top-shelf goal with four and a half minutes to play in the first quarter made the score 2-1.

The Greyhounds then scored three unanswered goals, making the score 5-1 at the half.

Loyola also dominated in the transition game, picking up 31 ground balls to the Wolverines’ 17. Preseason first-team All-American defensive midfielder Josh Hawkins led the way for the Greyhounds. His defensive play caused two turnovers and stifled Michigan’s offensive rhythm.

“We struggled offensively, we’ve been up and down there all season, which we are going to be with the youth we have down there,” said Michigan coach John Paul. “We keep telling the guys, there are so many parts to this game, and we get better at certain parts every week. As soon as we put all of those parts together we are going to win our first game.”

He also stressed the importance of managing expectations.

“The guys we recruited and our returning guys as well, part of the reason that they are here is that they want to build something," Paul said. “The fact that we were team one last year and Team Two this year resonates here at Michigan. They know that 132 years from now, Team 134 in lacrosse will look back and see how we built this.“