Men’s lacrosse can’t catch Mules in last-minute loss

The men’s lacrosse team accrued an impressive 4-0 start that included big wins over Wesleyan, ranked 10th a year ago, and Washington and Lee, who finished last season ranked sixth.

Having proven they could blow away the bad teams and win close ones over good teams, the Panthers were excited for battles against NESCAC rivals and up-and-coming programs Connecticut College and Colby.

The game against Connecticut College was a battle to be the last undefeated NESCAC team. The Camels’ 5-0 start was their best start in years, especially considering that the team only won six total games last year.

The first half went according to the historical script. Middlebury jumped out to a quick 3-1 lead on goals from Chris Teves ’10, Alex Englert ’12 and Jack Balaban ’11. After exchanging two goals a side, Conn. College drew within one with 15 seconds remaining in the first half.

Net minder Ryan Deane ’11.5 kept up his great form from the first four games and recorded six saves to four goals against in the first half.

The script says the Panthers, with all their big-game experience, should have come out and opened up a lead right out of the gates, but letting opponents like this stick around always increases their confidence.

The Camels came out of the half fired up. Nine minutes into the second half, Conn. College finally translated that confidence into two quick goals.

Though the Panthers were able to re-tie the game on a goal from Andrew Conner ’11, the momentum had obviously shifted toward the Camels.

After exchanging goals in the final period to create the fourth and final tie of the game, the Camels sealed their victory on a goal with two minutes remaining.

What had been some of the keys to Middlebury’s early success –– staunch goal tending and efficient face-offs –– eluded them in this match. Deane only managed one save in the second half, compared to four goals.

Face-off guru Brian Foster ’13 was held to only 6-18 at the cross.

The Panthers also failed to convert on two late extra-man opportunities in the fourth quarter.

These little things, often overlooked by a casual observer, decide these close games; usually, though, Middlebury is on the right side of them.

The Panthers traveled to Maine last Saturday looking to avenge their first loss of the season against an upstart Colby team. While the Mules were 4-3 heading into the NESCAC matchup, they had lost those three games by a combined three goals and had finally won a close game, 8-7 in OT against Trinity the game before.

Middlebury, which has only lost to Colby once in the past 13 years, was instantly reminded of the ever-improving parity in NESCAC lacrosse as Colby scored a mere six seconds into the contest.

After exchanging two goals per side in the first quarter, Colby first-year John Jennings tallied three times in the second quarter to push the Mule lead to 6-2 at the half.

The details said it all. Again, the Panthers were out-shot 15-12, made fewer saves (5-4), were out-hustled on ground balls (18-16) and beat-up in the face-off circle, winning only two of 10 face-offs. The Panthers were lucky to be within four after an abysmal start, but good teams fight back.

After a Colby score pushed the lead to 7-2, Pete Smith ’10, David Hild ’11 and Erich Pfeffer ’13 scored to pull the Panthers within two. An extra-strength goal, just before the close of the third quarter, and a quick tally in the fourth again pushed the Colby lead to four, but the Panthers were not done.

Bart Witmer ’10 scored his second goal of the season and Balaban, who has posted an impressive eight points in six games in his first season as a starter, added two quick ones to pull the Panthers within one.

But the comeback ran out of steam.

The Panthers again failed to convert a fourth quarter extra-man opportunity and did not win the face-off, ground ball or save battle in any individual quarter, let alone the game.The Panthers have shown they can score and defend, but the question now becomes, can they do the little things?

If they hope to beat Bowdoin, reigning NESCAC semifinalist, this Saturday at home, the answer to that question needs to be a resounding yes.