Box Score MIDDLETOWN, CT – In a game that was close right up until the end, the Williams men's lacrosse team lost to Wesleyan 9-8.
Williams started the game strong, going on a three goal run with goals from Riley Hoffman, Tanner MacIver, and Eric Kelley. The run was eventually ended when Taylor Ghesquire cut to the center of the box and received a pass from behind the net and fired a shot into the net at 1:20 for Wesleyan. While the run was ended, it still felt that Williams was in control through the remainder of the quarter, as the ball stayed on Wesleyans side of the field until the quarter ended.
In the second quarter the momentum was changing frequently as both teams had a lot of big plays. Neither team was able to score two consecutive goals during the quarter. Wesleyan goalie, Justin Schick, was able to help Wesleyan get some momentum early. On a clear, he had no open teammates and took the ball up the field himself and ended up taking a shot on the play. He wasn't able to score on the play but he drew a foul on the play and Jackson Arnold was able to score for Wesleyan on the resulting man up opportunity. It was Williams' goalie, Dan Whittam, who made the next big play, when Wesleyan got a shot opportunity from the crease but he came up clutch for Williams and got the save. On the following clear, Riley Hoffman went up the field and scored for Williams to bring the lead back to two goals. On the following face off, Wesleyan won and reacted quickly to breakaway for a four on three fast break but Williams defenseman, Ryan Hamilton, made a big play for Williams, landing a great check to take the ball away before Wesleyan could even attempt a pass. Still, Wesleyan was determined to chip away at the Williams lead. Matt Prezioso scored for Wesleyan, getting the ball behind the net and then running around to the center of the box and firing in a shot while backpedaling. Jack Lauroesch scored the next goal for Williams, tapping in a loose ball. Then Niall Devaney scored for Wesleyan, off of a pick play to get an open shot from the left wing. Andy Grabowski matched that goal for Williams, and then Nate Ryan answered that goal for. At the end of the half the score was 5-4 Williams.
On the first play of the second half, Nate Ryan, scored for Wesleyan to tie the score up. Later in the quarter Wesleyan got a great shot from the crease that would have given them their first lead of the game, but Williams' goalie Dan Whittam made a great save. However, on the following play, Nate Ryan, spun into the middle of the box and scored again for Wesleyan to give them the lead. David Murphy scored the next goal for Wesleyan, on a drive to the right from behind the net, to give Wesleyan a two-goal lead. The Williams offense was flowing nicely but just wasn't able score for most of the quarter. Steve Kiesel was able to end Williams' scoring drought to put an end to Wesleyans scoring run at 1:43 as he drove left and then went right to completely lose his man and then he was able to dodge the help from Wesleyan and score.
Nate Ryan was able to dodge his way to the middle of the box and score the first goal of the fourth quarter for Wesleyan to stretch the lead back out to two goals. Williams answered that goal late with a goal caused by great ball motion. There was no dodge involved, Williams just moved the ball around the goal forcing the defense to rotate around, until Tanner MacIvor was able to get a great shot and score for Williams at 6:42. Down one goal in the fourth quarter, the Ephs were trying to comeback and even up the score. Wesleyan came close to pulling away with the game at 3:33 but Dan Whittam made a great save to keep hope alive for Williams. However, for the remainder of the game Williams was unable to score and ended up losing 9-8.
Riley Hoffman and Tanner MacIvor, who each had two goals, led Williams. Nate Ryan, who had four goals, led Wesleyan.
Williams' goalie, Dan Whittam, played 60:00; he allowed nine goals and had thirteen saves.
The next game for the Ephs is April 15th when they will travel to play Vassar at 4:30.
