Tigers Cruise In NCAC Home Opener Against Oberlin

Springfield, Ohio – Sophomore attacker Andrew Ellis scored a career-high seven goals to help lift the Wittenberg University Men's Lacrosse team to a 15-6 home win over Oberlin on Saturday in the NCAC opener for both squads at Edwards-Maurer Field. The win snapped Wittenberg's six-game winless skid and also puts them at a perfect 1-0 on the year in NCAC play.

Game Breakdown

After nearly eight minutes of scoreless action to open the game, Ellis netted his first score of the game at the 7:43 mark off a pass from classmate Connor Rice. Ellis found the back of the net once again at the 5:32 mark off an assist from senior Jack Vierra, while junior Noah Moderwell closed out the scoring for Wittenberg in the opening frame with an unassisted goal with 3:45 showing on the clock.

Oberlin opened the scoring in the second quarter with a goal in the first minute of action, but the Tigers quickly pushed the lead back out to four at 5-1 with an unassisted goal from sophomore Cam Kennedy at the 12:23 mark, followed by a connection between Moderwell and sophomore Lucas Klever at the 8:20 mark that resulted in Moderwell's second goal of the game. The Yeomen struck again at the 6:36 mark, but Wittenberg scored three goals in the final six minutes of action to take an 8-3 lead into halftime. Ellis netted the first score off an assist from senior Jerry Coyle at the 6:36 mark, while Rice found senior Michael Carluccio for his only score of the game with 2:37 left in the half, before Ellis notched yet another unassisted goal with 1:45 showing on the clock.

The Tigers stretched their lead out to 10-3 after the third quarter, opening with Ellis' fifth goal of the game off a pass from Klever at the 10:40 mark and rounding out the frame with an unassisted goal from Moderwell with 9:37 on the clock.

The two squads traded goals to open the fourth quarter, led by junior Matthew Welch opening the frame with a goal from 25 yards out after a turnover by the Oberlin goalie. Moderwell than found Ellis for his sixth score of the game at the 8:48 mark of the fourth, before a pair of unassisted Oberlin goals made the score 12-6 in favor of Wittenberg with 7:14 left to play. Klever made the score 13-6 with an unassisted goal at the 5:10 mark, while Ellis and Moderwell again connected with 2:43 left on the clock for Ellis' seventh score of the match. The Tigers than closed out the scoring in the 15-6 victory at the 2:36 mark as sophomore Grant Snodgrass found an open Welch for his second goal of the fourth quarter.

In addition to Ellis' seven goals, Moderwell finished the game with three goals and two assists, while Welch was the only other Tiger with multiple goals in the game with his two tallies in the fourth quarter. On the defensive front, junior Tony LeBarge paced the Tigers with 11 ground balls and six caused turnovers, while senior goalie Cooper Swenson picked up his first win of the season in goal for Wittenberg after making eight saves and allowing just six goals on 14 shots in 53:23 minutes of action. Finally, the Tigers had a pair of athletes find success at the face-off X in the game, with junior Quinn McConkey winning 8-of-11 attempts and Snodgrass finishing the game by winning 9-of-13 attempts.

Up Next

The Tigers continue league action next Saturday (3/30) with a 1:00 p.m. home contest against Kenyon. Prior to the game against the Lords, Wittenberg will celebrate the careers of its five graduating players during a Senior Day ceremony.