Men’s Lacrosse edged UMass on Tuesday afternoon, 10-9, ending a eight-game losing streak and providing a much-needed spark for a young team.
“This game is a big game for us,” said Head Coach Ted Spencer, who is an alumnus and former UMass player. “We need to take these (final) games to set the foundation for next year, and if nothing else give these guys some learning experience.”
The win eased the pain of a disappointing, 13-4 loss to ECAC rival Loyola that occurred just two days before. The Stags appeared sluggish out of the gate, as the Minutemen jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the first quarter.
A goal from UMass midfielder Zach Rodgers early in the second quarter extended the Minutemen lead to 3-1. In many respects, it appeared like a similar script for the Stags.
The turning point came on an extra man offense opportunity for the Stags. Sophomore attackman Dan Holub ’10 scored his fifth goal of the season with 1:33 remaining in the half provided the Stags with much needed momentum.
Fairfield made a strong statement after halftime, scoring five consecutive goals in a span of seven minutes, as well as holding the Minutemen scoreless.
A flurry of offense in the fourth quarter ended with the Stags holding off a late UMass rally and two late goals from leading-scorer Tim Balise.
In the end, it was freshmen Todd Baxter ’11 and Ryan Mulford ’11 who provided the offense needed to secure the victory and end an eight-game losing streak, the second longest stretch without a victory since the program’s first varsity season in 1993.
The Stags now hold a 4-8 record on the season, with an ECAC record of 2-4.
In the season finale, the Stags travel to Queens for an away game against ECAC rival St. John’s.
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