What looked like a good run of form for Oberlin’s men’s lacrosse team suddenly has turned an about face. Losses this past week to Fontbonne University and a conference loss to Denison University have left the Yeomen struggling to finish their season on a high note.

Heartbreaking — that’s the lone word to describe the Fontbonne loss on April 22. Three hat tricks from quad-captains sophomore Jesse Kane and senior Bryan Harfenist and one from first-year Erik Strand were not enough to draw the Yeomen level as the Griffins swooped in for the 11-10 win.

The back-and-forth contest raged on throughout the duration of the game, as halftime saw the sides level at 5-5. As the Griffins regrouped into attacking formation and the Yeomen stood firm to defend their land to begin the third quarter, the contest remained up for grabs like a “rock-paper-scissors” game between fourth-graders.

It was Kane who struck first, finding the net early in the quarter and giving the Yeomen a 6-5 lead. Granted, the goal to put the Yeomen ahead was massive, but the Fontbonne response struck a blow into the Yeomen. 

Eleven seconds later, the ball was behind first-year goalie Alex Frank, igniting an onslaught by the Griffins, who ended up with a 7-10 lead going into the fourth quarter.

A fourth quarter resurgence for the Yeomen seemed to be in the cards as first-year Nick Sherman and Harfenist found the goal to bring the Yeomen within one. But the Griffins’ lion-like instincts took over, smelling blood as they came in for the final attack and biting the jugular of the Yeomen. 

With the little life left in the Yeomen body, a goal by Harfenist brought the Yeomen within one point of the Griffins, but nothing was able to resonate as Fontbonne conquered the land of the Yeomen.

Three days later, the Yeomen prepared to make a stand against the Big Red of Denison. Unfortunately for the heartbroken Yeomen team, Denison steamrolled right through as they immediately took control of the game, winning 4-20. The only high point for the Yeomen was the play of first-years Nick Sherman, Alex “Edge” Jacobs, and Strand.  Sherman and Strand both had two goals each while Jacobs ended up with two assists.

Although Denison completely took the Yeomen to school, sophomore Erik Kojola summarized the situation best when he said, “Although it was a bad loss, it didn’t demoralize us. It will motivate us to do better on Sunday. We could have done better, but when you play a good team like Denison you take it as a learning experience.”

The Yeomen look to get back to winning ways during their last home game on April 29 at 11 a.m. against Colorado College. They close out their season May 2 at 4:30 p.m. against Kenyon College before playing the alumni May 12 at 2 p.m.