Men’s lacrosse wins three straight in high scoring games

Quieted somewhat by the drizzling rain, the usually boisterous, sun-dressed Trinity Spring Weekend crowd looked on in dismay as David Hild ‘11 and Co. ran off four straight scores in the forth quarter to keep the Bantams at bay, 12-8, in NESCAC action last Saturday.
With their third consecutive victory the Panthers, ranked No. 11 nationally, improve to 8-2 on the season. While Hild tallied four goals on the afternoon, his last serving as a metaphorical ‘nail in the coffin”, his performance did not overshadow fellow senior Andrew Conner ’11 who notched three goals and one assist.  For his efforts Conner was named the NESCAC Player of the Week; a well deserved accolade for the mid-fielder who found the back of the net five times in Middlebury’s midweek double overtime win against Skidmore.
With a searing shot from 15-yards out on the right flank, Trinity sophomore midfielder Stephen Manning pulled Trinity within striking range at 8-7 with 10:28 left in the game. Middlebury’s own sophomore Billy Chapman ’13 responded in kind, beginning a four-goal scoring run that Trinity would be unable to recover from. Alex Englert ’12 and Hild added insurance goals as time ran down.
In a refreshing departure from the status quo, Middlebury raked out 16 of the 23 faceoffs taken, including 12 of 18 by Brian Foster ’13. Peter Jenning’s ’12 quickness and doggedness in between the lines, along with Chapman’s game-high six ground balls, created opportunities in transition opportunities that Timmy Cahill ’12 (two goals) and Mike Giordano ’13 (one goal) took advantage of in the offensive zone. Co-captain goalkeeper Ryan Deane ’11 was an anchor in the net with seven saves.
As usual, the defense played with composure, as they have proven themselves to be a formidable force week in and week out. As a unit they were able to close gaps on the inside that the Trinity players exploited early in the game. They played disciplined, hard-nosed on-ball defense. Henry Clark ’12 praised the play of several up and coming underclassmen.
“Longsticks Chapman and Darric White ’14 stepped up and made a number of clutch plays when we needed them the most. Both have the ability to make an impact on the field in the coming weeks.”
The Panthers return to action against Rensselaer at home this Tuesday. All eyes are set on their upcoming game against last year’s National Champions, Tufts, on Saturday, April 23.