Playing only its second game on the CFA grass, better known as “the Birdcage,” the men’s lacrosse team trounced the visiting Trinity Bantams 18-8 on Wednesday. Not wanting to underestimate another conference opponent, the team came out firing, leading 5-1 after 10 minutes of play and 9-1 at the half.

The Cards exerted their dominance over a Trinity squad that is much improved since last season. Normally ranking toward the bottom of the NESCAC each year, the Bantams entered the contest with a 4-3 conference record (7-4 overall), good for fifth in the NESCAC. The defining moment of their season, which perhaps will launch them into respectability in the league, was an 11-10 double-overtime victory over perennial NESCAC powerhouse Middlebury. The Bantams can attribute much of their turn around to the arrival of new head coach Jim Finlay, formerly an assistant at Brown University.

Despite the recent adequacy of the Bantams, the Cardinals asserted themselves as a force to be reckoned with, winning a game that has significant implications for NESCAC tournament seeding. By beating Trinity, Wesleyan knocked it out of a chance for the number one seed in the tournament and possible home field advantage. With only four teams, Williams, Tufts, Middlebury, and Wesleyan, now vying for the number one seed, the Cards have a better shot at bringing the NESCAC tournament to Middletown for the first time ever.

The scoring on Wednesday came quickly, as Grayson Connors ’08 netted a goal just one minute into the first quarter. Scoring the most goals of any player this season for the Cards, Connors found the net five times during the contest. Russ Follansbee ’09, Mike Hines ’07, Jason Ben-Eliyahu ’09 and Jon Killeen ’10 all scored amidst the offensive torrent that the Cards unleashed in the first quarter.

At the start of the second, the Cards continued to roll: Connors scored twice while Hines and Ben-Eliyahu both ripped again. The Cardinal defense was very strong for the duration of the game. Spike Malangone ’09 led the way with eight ground balls on the day and Charlie Congleton ’07 recorded 11 saves while yielding only six goals in 51 minutes. Malangone paces the team in ground balls with 59, while long stick middie Tom Bendon ’07 had 43 and down-low d-man Matt Burke ’07 came in third on the team with 28. The ability of the Cards’ defense to simply thwart opposing offenses, take the ball, and return it to their scorers has been just as important to the team’s success as the offensive production. The defense hit a season high on clears against Trinity, converting 19 of 24 for 80 percent efficiency.

In the third quarter, Wesleyan continued to score with ease. Wanting to silence critics who believed the Cards had slipped this season due to several close NESCAC contests and hoping to put themselves in a better position for a Pool C bid they may need to get into the NCAAs if they don’t win their conference, the Cards kept their feet on the gas. The Cards ran the score to 16-6 before beginning to sub out their starters.

After scoring a goal in the fourth quarter, Russ Follansbee ’09, pumped his fists in celebration in the face of the d-man he’d just beat. Follansbee received a penalty and a punch in the ribs from the Trinity player, yet the goal counted and the Cards continued to dominate.

In the fourth quarter, The “Juggs Crew” took the field. The cast of characters that holds down the Wesleyan bench and make themselves heard every game with raucous cheering and hilarious taunts suddenly found themselves in the middle of the action.

In a singular moment of greatness, senior Jesse Bardo ’07 bounced a rip past the Trinity goalie on an assist from Jeff Strittmatter ’09. Bardo has always honed his right and left hand shooting ability as the goalie warmer-upper for every game. On Wednesday, he ripped for real and made it count. John “The Muffin Man” Harding ’09, Nate “The Shakedown” Green ’09, Dan “Baby Gap” O’Brien ’10, and Dave “Silky” Wilkinson ’09 also represented the Juggs on the field.

With this domination of Trinity, the Cards now have to rely on a mixture of luck and success to earn the first seed in he conference and host the NESCAC tournament. Facing familiar foe Middlebury in Vermont on Saturday, the Cards will need a win plus a win the following Saturday at Bates for any chance to host. Additionally, Wesleyan will have to hope that either Tufts loses to Bates on the weekend of April 28 or that Middlebury beats Tufts next week. If all of this falls into place, we will see a NESCAC competition showcase on the weekend of May 5 in Middletown.