By Dominic Rapposelli
Elm Staff Writer
Washington College men’s lacrosse lost back-to-back home games on April 19 and April 22. The first loss came at the hands of the visiting Franklin and Marshall Diplomats.
A strong first quarter for the Diplomats set them on track for victory as they jumped out to a 3-1 lead. The Shoremen did not take a lead.
Junior midfielder Gabe Velasques took home his sixth face-off goal of the season as well as went 17-25 in faceoffs continuing his breakout season as a reliable factor at the midfield ‘X’.
After the loss to the Diplomats, the Shoremen hosted their final game of the season against the Ursinus Bears. The Bears jumped out with an eight goal first quarter and kept their foot on the gas.
Seniors Kain Domenech and Luke Brennan each recorded three goals. Senior Ewan Temple and Junior Connor Garrison each added two goals.
Before the game, the team honored their seniors who have contributed to the program over their four years at WC.
With the seniors departing the program, Coach John Nostrant is calling for some of the younger players on the team to step up. “We want to see guys separate themselves,” Coach Nostrant said.
The team saw success this season that they have not been able to attain in many years. According to Temple, this change came from guys individually preparing to be a part of something big.
Another area for success was the Shoreman’s man-down unit. The defense was the brightest part of the team, especially when down a player on the field.
Shorewomen lacrosse, coming off a week in which they went 1-1, are in a position to reach the postseason and host a playoff game on WC’s Kibler Field.
The Shorewomen vanquished the Bryn Mawr College Owls 9-5 on Wednesday, April 19. In the four-point effort, senior midfielder Ellie Morrall notched her hundredth career point with a third goal in the final minute of the game. Morrall becomes the thirty-second player in program history to reach this milestone.
The Owls kept the game competitive most of the afternoon, but a slew of second half goals was enough to clip their wings enough for the Shorewomen to prevail. Freshman Anna Wilson said that the team went to Bryn Mawr ready to win. “We prepared well and wanted it more,” Wilson said.
WC would not fare as well on their second road trip of the week in Carlisle, Pa., where they took on the Dickinson Red Devils. The Devils jumped out to a 4-2 halftime lead and never relinquished.
A quartet of fourth quarter goals would bring the score to 8-9 in favor of the Devils. A tenth Dickinson goal, with 2:24 to go in the fourth period, would put an end to a valiant effort by the Shorewomen.
With the loss, the Shorewomen are still on pace to be the fourth seed in the Centennial Conference playoffs.
“We have worked really hard to get to this point so I think making playoffs and also possibly having the opportunity to have a home game first round would really pump us up,” Wilson said.
Wins from earlier in the season provide the Shorewomen with crucial tiebreakers over Muhlenberg College and Ursinus, who are also in contention for the fourth seed in the six team playoff race. The only other team in contention for that slot is the Swarthmore Garnet, who the Shorewomen will travel to meet on April 26.
The final home game for the Shorewomen will be Saturday, April 29, against McDaniel College. The game will be the team’s senior day game which will honor the team’s two seniors, Morrall and Sydney Wingate.
Photo courtesy of WC Athletics
Caption: A photo of the graduating Shoremen lacrosse players with their families from April 22.