Midfielder Andrew Urquhart ’08 wrestled and tried with all his might to fight his man away from the ball.
Down one goal in the fourth quarter, every face-off became a must-win. Every possession was precious.
As soon as it was in his stick, he sprinted down the field. Moments later, Chris Ajemian ’09 scored a fastbreak goal to tie Georgetown, 8-8, in front over 1100 screaming fans at Lessing Field.
Amidst a five-game losing streak in a perceived rebuilding season, Fairfield found a long awaited spark.
The seniors regained a familiar swagger, and a youthful offense showed a glimpse of the future and the possibilities that lie ahead.
Georgetown, a team that entered the game ranked fifth in the nation in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) coaches’ poll and that had stunned top-ranked Duke two weeks prior, escaped with a 10-8 victory on Saturday afternoon due to two late goals in the fourth quarter.
The story of the game, though, was the Stags’ effort, while faced with the daunting task of a game with its toughest opponent all season.
“I think for us it was a moral victory,” said Head Coach Ted Spencer. “Our effort was tremendous.
“It brought confidence back in the kids, and also some pride back in the program.”
The team echoed similar feelings.
“It’s a loss so it is disappointing in that aspect, but we are proud of the way everyone played,” said senior defenseman Matt Scanlon ’08. “It was a big improvement from the previous games.”
“It was good to see everyone play with a lot of heart,” said Scanlon.
The eight-goal effort against Georgetown was the team’s second-highest scoring outing in as many games.
“I think that we are finding a groove on offense now, which is good,” said Spencer. “It is a good stepping-stone to finish the season the way we would like to finish it.
“Our goal is to go out and win the rest of our games.”
Fairfield also outplayed Georgetown in several key areas on the game. Midfielder Rob Simeti ’11 and Urquhart dominated the face-offs, controlling 14 of 22 opportunities.
The Stags took advantage of the face-off success, as three of the team’s eight goals came because of fastbreak opportunities after face-offs.
In addition, Fairfield totaled four more ground balls than Georgetown.
Mainly, though, Spencer was pleased with the effort of his defense.
“We are talking about a team that is loaded with some of the best offensive talent in the country,” said Spencer. “Our defensive unit did a stand-up job.”
Regardless of the opponent, the defense has proven to be a veteran stronghold.
“We loved the challenge,” said Scanlon of the Georgetown game. “We’ve had confidence in our defense all year. It wasn’t too much of a change from our regular attitude.”
The Stags now set their gaze on the four games remaining in the season, beginning with a home game Saturday, April 12 at 7 p.m. against in-state rival Yale.
Despite a 2-6 record, Spencer was quick to note that the Bulldogs have had a decent season.
In addition to a win over Massachusetts, Yale has lost five of six games by one goal, including an overtime loss to Cornell.
“Yale has some talent,” said Spencer. “We have to come out with the same passion and enthusiasm as we did [against Georgetown].”
Spencer also said, “There are no easy lay-ups on our schedule.”
This game, though, means much more for the senior class, as the team will celebrate Senior Night.
“There is a lot of motivation,” said Scanlon. “Everyone is going to be pretty fired up.”
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