The men’s lacrosse team (4-6 overall, 1-5 Patriot League) lost to Navy (7-4 overall, 4-1 Patriot League) by a score of 10-9 in a tight game. This extends the Leopards’ losing streak to three games as they enter the final leg of the season.
Both sides traded goals early in the first quarter, with senior attackers Peter Lehman and Charlie Cunniffe scoring to bring the teams level at 2-2. Cunniffe and senior midfielder John Mathes each lead the team with 23 goals this season, something Mathes attributed to the work of his teammates.
“I’d credit the rest of the offense and the scout team for any individual success,” Mathes said. “They’re able to give us a look at the defense we’re going to see.”
Lehman got the Maroon and White going in the second quarter, ripping one past the Navy goalkeeper to give the Leopards a 3-2 lead, but Lafayette lost control in the second, surrendering three unanswered goals for a 5-3 deficit. According to senior defender Nicco Jacimovic, the Leopards couldn’t afford to make those mistakes.
“There were a lot of situational moments where we could’ve taken control,” Jacimovic said. “Teams are going to capitalize on our mistakes, especially when we don’t take advantage of theirs.”
Despite the score, the Leopards had reason to be hopeful in the second half when Lehman found sophomore midfielder Aidan Kopen to cut the deficit to one before the end of the quarter.
In the second half, the momentum continued to swing in Lafayette’s favor. Mathes tied things up early in the third quarter, but another scoring run from the Midshipmen restored their two-goal cushion.
“We stayed in the game the whole time, but we didn’t make enough plays to get over the hump,” Mathes said. “Navy was able to capitalize on their opportunities which allowed them to pull away.”
The fourth quarter showcased more of the same until junior midfielder Liam Sargent and Lehman scored back-to-back goals to knot things up at nine each. The away team had the final answer, however, when Navy found the back of the net with just 2:47 remaining.
Despite the loss, Jacimovic expressed a strong sense of pride for how the group competed with one of the best teams in the Patriot League.
“Even though we lost, we ended the game really proud of how we played and how connected we were,” Jacimovic said. “We played the game on our terms and didn’t let ourselves get sped up or slowed down by the opponent.”
The team now faces its final three games of the season, with the next match coming on Saturday at Boston University (7-4 overall, 4-1 Patriot League).
“Our team hasn’t had a winning record to end the season since 2010, so we really want to be the first to end that run,” Jacimovic said. “But more importantly, we want to leave a lasting impression on how Lafayette plays lacrosse: disciplined, hardworking and not giving teams any easy games.”
