The men’s lacrosse team continued to steamroll through the NESCAC on Wednesday, beating Trinity 16-4 for its fifth straight win. Ten Cardinals scored in the win that upped Wesleyan’s record to 9-1 (4-1 NESCAC).
The Cards never let the Bantams into the game, jumping out to a commanding 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Jason Ben-Eliyahu ’09 scored the first two goals of the game and finished with four, giving him 16 for the season. Not to be outdone, Grayson Connors ’08 tallied three goals in the first half and added another in the third quarter to bring his tally to a team-leading 24 goals on the season.
“Grayson has been a real inspiration to the team and people from New Jersey everywhere,” said Steve Binswanger ’06.
Wesleyan racked up ten goals before Trinity even got on the board. A second tally from tri-captain Jordan Funt ’06 ran the score to 10-0 before Trinity finally found the net at the 2:47 mark in the second period. Not giving up an inch though, the Cards retaliated with a goal from Connors with one second remaining in the half.
“Once again, Connors proved his commitment to the ‘Cincinnati Bowtie’ after scoring one second before the half,” said Nate Byer ’06, who assisted Ben-Eliyahu’s second goal. “You’d think ‘Camp Trin’ would have done a better job scouting, but evidently they were too busy putting highlights in their hair, finger painting and weaving macramé necklaces to figure out Connors’s favorite move.”
The fast start was a welcomed change from last year’s tight match up with Trinity, in which Wesleyan needed overtime to defeat the Bantams.
“We needed to come to play today, and come we did,” said close defenseman Matt Smith ’06.
The Cardinals did not let up after the break, as Mike Vitulano ’06 scored his 14th goal of the season on a feed from Ben-Eliyahu. Connors’ and Ben-Eliyahu’s final scores of the day stretched the score to 14-3 entering the fourth quarter when Jesse Bardo ’07 put the finishing touches on the victory with the team’s 16th goal.
“Bardo’s goal came at a pivotal point in the game,” Binswanger said.
The Cards’ defense shut down a Trinity team that, despite a mediocre 4-4 record, entered the tilt averaging 9.25 goals per game. The Bantams hardly tested goalie Charlie Congleton ’07, mustering up only three shots in the first quarter and nine in the whole first half. Coach John Raba pulled ‘C-Tone’ midway through the third period, though, and saw Whit Harrison ’06, Mike Borrero ’09 and Trevor Adams ’09 put in solid work in the crease.
Wesleyan now turns its focus to Amherst, a Little Three opponent that has struggled to a 2-6 start. Now in just a two-way tie for second place in the NESCAC, the Cards look forward to the opportunity to take advantage of weaker competition as they did against Trinity.
“Expect ‘Hammer’ dropping against Amherst on Saturday,” Smith said.
The Cardinals take on the Lord Jeffs on Saturday at 1 p.m. on North Field.
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