Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College men's lacrosse team on a day full of overcast skies and rainy weather was unable to hold on late as Chapman came back from being down 6-5 to win 8-7 handing Whittier their third loss in a row.
Whittier now drops to .500 to 5-5, while Chapman improves to 13-3.
Chapman who dealt Whittier a loss two years ago again came into Memorial Stadium and again came away with a victory coming back from being down 6-5 halfway through the fourth to pull off the 8-7 victory.
The Panthers who have proven themselves to be a legitimate lacrosse program on the west coast despite being a club team used a three shot advantage 30-26 to edge out the Poets Wednesday evening in front of a fan base of over 175.
Senior Sam Russell led the Poets on offense as he had a team high four goals on eight shots, while sophomore Hunter Hall finished with three assists and three groundballs.
The first quarter turned out to be a defensive stand off as both teams combined for 15 shots with only two connecting to keep the score tied at 1-1 at the end of one.
Coming out in the second both teams picked up the offensive intensity as Russell led the Poet attack connecting on the first goal of the second quarter to put Whittier up 2-1 and then adding goals halfway through the quarter and then at the end of the period to pull the Poets into a tie at 4-4 going into the half.
Coming out of intermission Hall received a ball in the middle from Foster Cunningham that put Whittier on top 5-4 but saw Chapman tie the game up once more 12 seconds later. But Whittier continued to be aggressive and made a strong defensive stand over the next four minutes of play until Russell put Whittier on top 6-5 heading into the final quarter.
But no lead is safe at Memorial Field and Whittier found that out late in the fourth as they saw Andrew Clayton add two of his five goals back to back capped off by a man up goal that put Chapman up 7-6 with 6:14 to play.
But again the Poets battled and received the game tying goal from Cunningham who took a rip from twenty yards out off of a ball from behind the net that came from Hall. On the ensuing faceoff, the Panthers came down in eight seconds and scored that put them on top 8-7 once more that ended up being the eventual game winner despite Whittier getting some good looks on goal in the final minute of play.
Senior Robert Bazlen again had a superb game finishing with 10 saves which included a diving stop and probably one of his biggest saves in his lacrosse career. He was pulled away from the goal midway through the second quarter to grab a groundball but on the next pass Chapman wound up with the ball and an open look at the goal but in a matter of seconds Bazlen cut back to the goal making a diving grab that looked like a top 10 web gem that would go on sportscenter.
Whittier returns to action as they welcome in the Stags of Claremont-M-S another club team next Wed., April 18 beginning at 7pm as they look to stop their four game losing skid.
