The Hiram Terriers men’s lacrosse team is getting quite familiar with playing in high-leverage situations this season but fell on the wrong end of the score this time as they lost 8-7 against Alma College in an overtime thriller last Saturday afternoon at Bahlke Field in Michigan.
“You don’t get a redo,” said Coach Jason Griffith. “There is no reset button in life so if you come out flat, you have to figure out a way to battle back and we did that on Saturday and ultimately fell short in overtime.”
It marked the second straight overtime match that Hiram (4-5, 0-1) played in, as the Terriers went to overtime against Presidents’ Athletic Conference rival Washington & Jefferson College on March 18 and both matches ended the same, with the Terriers just falling short of victory.
On Saturday, Hiram battled back from a 6-2 deficit in the second half, outscoring the Scots by a 6-2 margin ultimately evened the score when senior attacker Mickey Morgan scored the equalizer off an assist from junior midfielder Kellen Wetz goal with 1:54 remaining in regulation, creating an 8-8 deadlock.
In overtime, the first goal scored would be the game-winner and Alma delivered the winning shot when freshman attacker Cuyler Fielhauer ripped the winning goal on an unassisted shot with 2:08 left in the first overtime period, sending the Terriers to their second consecutive overtime loss.
“He was probably seven or eight yards away and he shot it before anyone could get on him,” noted the third-year coach.
The Terriers’ comeback fell short, but Griffith applauded the resiliency the team showed in the match, as they faced a 6-2 deficit in the beginning of the second half after Alma scored two consecutive goals.
According to Griffith, the Terriers fell into an early hold as they were plagued by a slow start but ultimately came alive in the second half, as Wetz fueled Hiram’s comeback by scoring three ofits six goals in the second half.
Having primarily operated as an attacker this season, Wetz played at the midfielder’s position frequently in the match as Hiram’s front line had been depleted by injuries.
Griffith said that it was not a tough ask of Wetz to play some midfielder, as that had been his natural position when he was a freshman.
“The first one was definitely an opportunity match-up that he took advantage of and found the back of the cage,” he added. “The second one was one where we subbed and caught them in transition, and no one picked Kellen up and he walked it right in and buried it. Then the third one was that we ran a set, the ball kicked back around and came back to Kellen, and he was able to get the space before the slide could recover to him and was able to put the shot off.”
Wetz finished the game by scoring three goals and recorded two assists.
As bleak as the situation seemed for the Terriers, Griffith said that mounting comebacks is becoming a signature trademark of his squad this year, and it has served them well.
“They have battled every single game, sometimes things don’t bounce your way,” he said. “This group has maintained composure and continued to fight in every minute of every game so far this year and I really love that attitude. I think it will serve us well as we continue to turn the page and start focusing on conference play.”
After completing its non-conference schedule, the Terriers are now set to compete primarily against PAC rivals in the second half of the season.
Although Hiram has only played one league match so far this season, Griffith said that he is eager to see his team prove itself as the newcomer to the PAC and estimates that the Terriers will compete in several more high stakes matches as the balance of power in the new league is not nearly as lopsided as it was in the North Coast Athletic Conference.
“I know the boys are excited too and I know that they are a little disappointed right now because they know that is one that they could have had but we will turn the page and Monday we are back in the lab to prepare for Allegheny,” he added.
Following road duel against PAC foe Allegheny College on Wednesday afternoon, the Terriers will return to action when they celebrate senior day and welcome PAC rival Franciscan University to Malsimur Stadium’s Charles A. Henry Field in Hiram on April 1 at 7 p.m.
