Author: Gil Alcaraz
After starting out 0-7 this season, the Oxy men’s lacrosse team has won two of its last five games and simultaneously doubled its total number of wins from last year. Despite the struggles encountered, the Tigers’ hard work and refusal to give up in the face of adversity has put them one step closer toward improving the Oxy lacrosse program’s current stature.
The team’s first win of the season came on March 27 against the Cal Maritime Keelhaulers, by a score of 13-8. Despite a struggle to keep the Keelhaulers off their backs, the Tigers managed to keep them from scoring and came away with their first victory since last year.
The team was able to secure more points in this game than in any other game this season, due in part to captain Andrew Leede (senior), who scored five goals. It was also the second time this season that goalie Juan Sanchez (sophomore) and the Oxy defensemen managed to keep the opposition from scoring in the double digits.
“Our first win of the season felt great. It was fantastic to see the team’s consistent hard work result in a successful game,” Leede said.
The Tigers’ second win of the season was much harder to earn, as they edged out the Pacific Lutheran Lutes on March 28 by a score of 11-10.
Wes Goodman-Levy (sophomore) and Leede, who scored three goals each, led the charge offensively by taking control on almost every offensive possession and making life difficult for the Lutes’ defense. Taylor Lehmann (sophomore) and Marc Patrick (first-year) also contributed, scoring two goals each.
Although he didn’t score any goals, Michael Berman (sophomore) was a big factor offensively, assisting his fellow Tigers on three goals. It was a hard-fought game that came down to the final minutes for the Tigers. However, since this game, the men’s team has not fared as well as the Tigers continued to face tough conference competition.
On April 17, Oxy faced the CSU Long Beach 49ers. Oxy went into the game with heavy losses due to injury and sickness, and were physically outplayed in just about every category.
“We were on defense throughout the entire first half,” said Matt Salus (sophomore). With Goodman-Levy out due to an illness and multiple players unavailable for the game, the Tigers were short-handed and suffered a devastating loss, 25-5, as a result.
Berman, Patrick and Shane Cumings (sophomore) were responsible for the five goals that the Tigers were able to put in.This past Saturday, the Tigers took on the division-leading Titans of CSU Fullerton in their penultimate game of the season. Unfortunately for the Tigers, this game ended in a 21-5 loss.
The offense struggled to keep the ball out of the opposition’s grasp, and the defense was overwhelmed by the tenacious play of the Titans, giving up 10 goals to just one player.
Even though it was a tough loss to swallow, the Tigers continued to play for pride, never giving up until the game was over. Goodman-Levy contributed three of the Tiger’s five goals, earning himself a hat trick. Berman and Patrick were also able to score one goal each.
Throughout the season, one player continued to prove himself as the go-to-guy for the Tigers’ offense.
Goodman-Levy, who leads the team with 21 goals and 27 points, has taken the men’s lacrosse team, put it on his shoulders and carried the Tigers through this tough season. Senior captain Leede also continues to be Goodman-Levy’s main wingman, and is second in both goals and points thus far this season.
The Tigers are 2-11, and 0-6 in conference play, going into their last game of the season. The team’s season-ender is tomorrow, April 29, away against the UC Irvine Anteaters in a game that was postponed earlier in the season.
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