Poets LAX Season Begins With Big Win Over NDNU

Three Poets scored a pair of goals as Whittier College men's lacrosse began its season with a 9-7 victory over visiting Notre Dame de Namur University on February 16.  Whittier lost twice to the Argonauts last season, both times by just one goal.

Alex Chaudry '08 finished with two goals and an assist.  Ben Barchey '09 and Chuck Wagner ‘08 also scored twice.  Anthony Lackey '09 pitched in with a goal and an assist.  Matt Mulry '09 and Christian Wright '10 also scored goals.  Poet goalkeeper, Ben Brown '09 turned in an outstanding performance between the pipes despite an injury early in the first quarter.  He finished with 14 saves, seven of which came in the fourth quarter with the game on the line.

Anthony Lackey '09 helped the Poets control play with six groundballs.  Todd Drotleff '08 collected three groundballs.  Corey Schab '10 commanded the face-off "X", winning 10-of-16 face-offs.

The Argonauts were led by Drew Comeau who scored three goals.  Cam Foss scored twice.  Tim Campeau finished with a goal and an assist and Cory Upshaw scored one goal.  Goalkeeper Matthew Coric made 17 saves as the Poets peppered the NDNU goal with 32 shots.

The Argos started the scoring just over five minutes into the first quarter with a goal from Foss.  The Poets answered with a goal from Mulry half of a minute later to tie the score.  At the 6:44 mark, Lackey gave Whittier a short-lived lead.  Less than a minute later, Comeau started a three-goal run in the remaining six minutes. 

In the second quarter, the Poet defense tightened, allowing just two shots and one goal.  Chaudry scored his first goal of the game just over two minutes into the quarter.  Wright tied the score at four when he caught a pass from Kevin McCarroll '08 and beat the goalkeeper.  The Argos' only goal came with four seconds left in the half to take a 5-4 lead at the break.

In the first half the Poets took 20 shots, but only came away with four goals.  Whittier came out of the locker room looking to be more efficient on offense, and did just that.  After NDNU scored the first goal of the second half to take a two-goal lead, the Poets erupted with four straight goals that started with an extra-man goal by Barchey 2:15 into the half.  Chaudry scored his second at the 9:14 mark to tie the game and then Wagner put the Poets up for good after converting on a feed from Lackey 30 seconds later.  Barchey scored another extra-man goal with 5:45 left in the third to give the Poets a two-goal lead heading into the final stanza.

Wagner scored his second goal 3:10 into the fourth for a 9-6 Whittier lead.  They didn't score again, but didn't need to as Brown stymied the Argonaut attack seven saves in the quarter.  They broke through with  2:49 remaining, but that was all they could muster and the Poets came away with the 9-7 victory.

The Poets play again on February 18 against Brigham Young University's club team.  The game begins at 4:00pm on the