Despite an explosive comeback late in the fourth quarter, the men’s lacrosse team fell in a hard-fought game against the Wittenberg University Tigers on Tuesday by a score of 9–12. The loss hampered the Yeomen’s chance at a post- season tournament run, but four total games still remain, three of which are conference.

Wittenberg came out strong in the first quarter, hammering in six goals while Oberlin could only muster up two. At the half, the Yeomen trailed the Tigers 4–8 thanks to goals from first-year Alex Wagman and sophomore Sean Higgins. “I scored mainly because of the off-ball movement. I got separation from my defender and took advantage of the opportunity,” said Wagman.

After an uneventful third quarter with two Wittenberg goals, sound defense and one Oberlin goal scored by first-year Matthew Fox, the Yeomen came out with purpose in the fourth quarter. They put away three consecutive goals with seeming ease as senior Thomas Cool secured two goals with the help of senior Connor Jackson. Wagman put one more in with first-year Nick Lobley on the assist, putting the Yeomen right back into the game. This final fourth-quarter attempt showcased the Yeomen’s potential, but even after another goal from Fox, it was not enough. The Tigers scored an additional goal late in the game and locked it up with solid defense that sealed the victory.

Wagman and Cool led the team with three goals apiece, and Jackson provided three assists. Higgins’s goal was one of four man-up goals for the Yeomen and brought him to 20 goals for the year, the season record. “It feels good that I scored that many goals, but my main goal is to win as many games as possible,” said Higgins.

Penalties played a huge role in the game, with Oberlin racking up 13 and playing a total of 12 minutes man-down. “We didn’t adapt to some of the tough calls made on the field, which caused us to not play a fully focused 60 minutes,” said Head Coach Topher Grossman. The Yeomen played a hard 60 minutes of lacrosse against a team that is fighting for a tournament spot in a tough conference. “Overall we played a tough physical game; we just need to bring it together mentally,” Grossman said.

The Yeomen revealed some of the young talent they possess, with numerous first-years playing vital roles in the game. “We have a very talented, young offense; we just need to capitalize on transitions and communicate,” said Wagman. They look to utilize these talents next week against opponent DePauw University to secure their first conference win since 1995. “We have to come excited and intense before the game and play 60 minutes of intense and smart lacrosse,” said Higgins.