Undefeated Tigers Open NCAC Play With Win Over Kenyon

Mark DeOliveira

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — It started with a season-opening win at Washington & Lee on Saturday, Feb. 19, but now, one game past the midseason point, the Wittenberg men's lacrosse team's eight-game winning streak can no longer be called simply a hot start.

The Tigers remained unbeaten and moved to 8-0 overall with six games remaining on their regular season schedule following an 11-6 win over Kenyon at Edwards-Maurer Field. More importantly, head coach George Harris' crew opened North Coast Athletic Conference action 1-0.

In a larger scheme, the Tigers have never had a better eight-game stretch in their history. The team has already posted their third-highest win total in school history, tied with an 8-6 finish in 1999 and behind two 10-win seasons in 1998 and last year.

This season easily outdistances the program's previous best start, a series of three wins to begin the 2009 season.

In the Tigers' second straight and ninth all-time win over Kenyon on Saturday (fifth since varsity reinstatement in 1983), Wittenberg opened a 3-1 lead through the first period, but the Lords came surging back with a 4-3 second quarter to leave things at 6-5 headed to the break.

Wittenberg opened the second half with four unanswered goals in the third quarter, and both teams scored once in the fourth to reach the final 11-6 mark.

The Lords took thirty shots, but senior goalkeeper Mark DeOliveira (East Hanover, NJ/East Hanover) made 10 saves and allowed just six goals working all 60 minutes in the net.

The Tigers scored their 11 goals on 33 shots, seven stopped by Kenyon keeper Austin Anusbigian. Senior Brady Christensen (Medina, Ohio/Medina) led the team with eight shots, converting two into goals along with one assist and one ground ball.

Christensen split the team scoring lead with senior Matt Lord (Pickerington, Ohio/North), who led the team in points with four by adding two assists on two shots. Lord also caused two turnovers and corralled three ground balls.

Senior Danny Johnson (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hill) scooped a team-best four ground balls and also added one goal and one assist.

Other scorers for the Tigers included senior Matt Snider (Cookeville, Tenn./Cookeville), senior Chris Gipson (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley), sophomore Alex Previte (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman), sophomore Tyler Hall (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Twp.) and senior Mitch Cohagan (Pickerington, Ohio/North).

Senior Dan Gaines (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington), Previte and Hall also added assists in the game, while Cohagan and Previte were both second in the box score with five shots.

The Tigers continue their campaign in the North Coast Athletic Conference with another home game on Saturday, April 9, at 1 p.m. versus Oberlin at Edwards-Maurer Field.

John Strawn '07