Second Half Comeback Lifts Ephs to 12-8 Win Over Conn. College

Williams men's lacrosse fell behind early in the team's Saturday afternoon matchup at Farley-Lamb Field against the Connecticut College Camels. But a dominant second half performance erased what had been a three goal deficit and gave the Ephs a 12-8 win.

With the victory, Williams improves to 4-3 and 2-2 in NESCAC play, while the loss drops the Camels to 4-3 and 0-3 in the conference.

After over six scoreless minutes to open the game, Ephs jumped out to a lead when Davis Miller found himself open inside and buried a shot from point-blank range. 

The Camels responded with a quick pair of goals, then the Ephs returned the favor in style when Cade Schuckman passed to Ryan Johnson, who converted a quick finish into the top right corner. The goal made it 2-2 with 5:30 to go in the first period, and the score would hold right there for the rest of the period.

In the second period, Conn distanced itself by sandwiching four goals around one Ryan Nagle finish. The Ephs found themselves down 6-3 going into halftime.

A crucial third period saw the Ephs flip the game's momentum completely. First, Schuckman found a cutting Doran behind the net, and Doran finished a low wraparound to cut the lead to 6-4 with 9:49 to play.

Four minutes later, Doran found himself on the receiving end of another goal. This time, Nick Reich found the senior, who converted a slick flick behind his head into the bottom left corner to make the score 6-5. Ian Kim then won the ensuing faceoff and sprinted upfield, passing to Jack Sartorius on the left wing, who fired an immediate screamer into the top right corner. In seven seconds, Williams had slashed a two-goal deficit into a tie. 5:40 remained in the third period.

The Ephs closed out the third period as they started it. Reich scored on the move into the top right corner with 1:29 left in the period, and then Reich found Timoney from behind the net, and Timoney delivered a low finish. With 32 seconds left in the third period, the Ephs were ahead 8-6, having scored five goals in the period to Conn's zero.

Over six scoreless minutes opened the fourth quarter before Nagle scooped up a ground ball and deposited the Ephs' sixth goal in a row. After the Camels ended their goalless drought, Nagle scored again for his hat trick, this time on a rightward drive, to put the Ephs ahead 10-7 with 6:49 to go in the game. 

In the rest of the period, Ryan Johnson scored two goals for a hat trick of his own and the Ephs held on for a 12-8 win. Williams held Conn to just two goals in the second half, the Camels' lowest-scoring half of the season. 

For the Ephs, goalie Charlie Medd finished with 13 saves in the win. Reich, Nagle, and Johnson led the team with three points apiece.

Williams will look to keep the momentum going in the team's next matchup, which is at Salisbury on Tuesday at 4 pm.