The Colby Mules came into Saturday’s game winless against Wesleyan men’s lacrosse since the 2002 season, a span of seven games. Unfortunately, the Cards were unable to make it an eight-game winning streak over the Mules just days after beating Trinity for the thirteenth time in a row. Wesleyan came up short on offense, losing to the Mules in a close 6-4 contest.
Jon Killeen ’10 got the Cardinals off to a fast start, scoring the game’s first goal with 4:21 to go in the first period. However, the Mules answered convincingly, scoring three straight to take a 3-1 lead late in the second quarter. Killeen finished the half off with the Cardinals’ second goal of the game, netting his seventeenth tally of the season with just one second left before halftime.
The two teams traded goals in the third period, and the teams entered the fourth quarter of a closely contested game with Colby up 4-3. Wes finally fought back to tie the game at four apiece on Lonny Blumenthal’s ’10 goal seven minutes into the fourth.
However, the Mules finally took the lead for good on a goal with under four minutes left, and added a sixth goal for good measure a minute later. Wesleyan fired six shots in the fourth quarter, including one that hit the post, but was unable to find the equalizer.
Killeen’s two goals improved his team-leading point total to 35 on the season, and goalkeeper Mark Simmons ’13 added eight saves to his season total.
The loss was the Cardinals’ first against Colby since 2002, and only their third loss to the Mules in the history of the 12-game series. Saturday’s loss was also the first time that Wesleyan has lost in Waterville, ending a four-game win streak on Colby’s home turf for the Cardinals.
In addition, the Cardinals’ record dropped to 6-5 and 2-4 in the NESCAC. Their conference record currently has them sitting in eighth place out of the ten NESCAC squads. Wesleyan is four games behind league leaders Connecticut College and Tufts, both of which have 6-0 league records, but holds a one-game lead on Trinity (1-5) and two-game edge on Bates (0-6), both of which the Cardinals defeated, for the eighth and final playoff spot.
If the Cardinals hope to improve upon their slow start this season, they’ll need to start this Saturday in the team’s first Little Three game of the year at Williams. With five teams, including the Ephs, currently holding 3-3 conference records and a tie for third place, a win against Williams would go a long way in moving Wes up the conference ladder.