Finally a win on alumni weekend! The boys wanted to get one for all the guys who came back and thanks to a great second half, they were able to deliver. Fortunately the weather we were expecting ended up staying south of us and we ended up having a great day for lacrosse against the Mules. We had a really nice turnout from our young alums and the reception in Kenyon lounge was a nice way to get everyone together for a few hours. Thanks to all of you who were able to make it up.

As for the game, the difference in this one was our transition game which is finally getting going after a slow start this year. Five of our eleven goals came in unsettled situations with four coming from our defensive middies. Senior Alex Giammarco had another two goal game for us while Alex Englert stuck a nice shot off a feed from Dave Hild on a slow break. The one that everyone was talking about though was Sam Palmisano’s first goal of his career. Sam has earned a regular shift as a defensive midfielder this year after being a great scout player for us during his first three years in the program. When he uncorked a 13 yarder that found the back of the net against the Mules, it led to a wild celebration on the sideline and in the stands by the young alums.

Those who were in attendance were also treated to some outstanding goalie play by Ryan Deane. He was credited for 17 saves on the day although I had him for 19 after going through the film. Ryan also made some brilliant plays out of the cage by picking up some loose balls around the crease and getting the ball up the field.

The main reason that Colby had things tied up at halftime and hung around for most of the 2nd half was the play of Craig Bunker their face off specialist. Coming into the game he led the league in f/o percentage at 73% and did slightly better against us by winning 15 of 20 draws. We won’t see anyone better on our schedule from here on out and he’ll get serious consideration for NESCAC Player of the Year.

We’re entering our toughest stretch of the season with our next four games on the road starting with Amherst this Wednesday. This isn’t your typical Amherst squad as they’re off to a 7-1 start with their only loss coming to Tufts in the opener. Get used to seeing Amherst in the top four of NESCAC for the foreseeable future as they’ve made a big time commitment to lacrosse in the past year. We’ve squeaked out a few comeback wins down there during our last two trips and will need to play our best game of the year on Wednesday against the Jeffs. Time to buckle up!