Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College men's lacrosse team led 11-5 midway through Wednesday night's game against Berry College and despite a late comeback by the Vikings were able to hold on for the 12-9 victory at Memorial Stadium.
Whittier improves to 2-0 on the young season, while Berry drops to .500 at 3-3.
Christian Akers struck first :31 seconds into the game that put Berry on top 1-0 but that would be the only lead they would hold the rest of the game as Maxwell Jones (Fircrest, WA), Dan Prevedel (Denver, CO), and Luke Boardman (Denver, CO) would add three unanswered that put the Purple & Gold on top 3-2. Foster Cunningham (San Anselmo, Calif.) would add the final tally of the quarter that moved the score to 4-2.
Cunningham, Jonathan Kassity (San Clemente, Calif.), and Matt Symes (Coquitlam, BC, Canada) opened up the second with three straight goals that extended the lead to 7-2 and Tommy Andrews (Tustin, Calif.) and Matthew Prado (Whittier, Calif.) would add goals late that kept the Poets in the driver's seat at 9-5 at the break.
Aaron Self (San Clemente, Calif.) and Kassity pushed the lead to 11-5 at the beginning of the third quarter but four straight by the Vikings would provide the spark they would need that pulled them within two 11-9 with 5:12 to play.
With the momentum in Berry's favor, Whittier's Cunningham would connect with an insurance goal as the shot clock wound down with 3:30 remaining in the game, which was the final blow to the Vikings comeback hopes.
Cunningham led the Poets with three goals on six shots. Randy Lukas (Massapequa, NY) led the defensive unit with three caused turnovers and Self picked up a game high 12 groundballs, helping to win 16 face-offs on the evening for Whittier.
Whittier was outshot on the evening 48-39 but held the edge in groundballs (36-28) and face-offs (16-9).
In goal, freshman Alex Cramer (Rocky Hill, CT) again had a strong game finishing with 14 saves against 18 shots.
Whittier remains at home for their final home game of the three game homestand this Friday, March 13 as they host Swarthmore beginning at 7:00pm.
