Men's Lacrosse Beats Claremont in Low-Scoring Affair

Whittier College escaped with its fifth straight win on March 2; a 7-3 victory over the Claremont Colleges club team on Graham Lacrosse Field.  It's the final preparation game for the Poets as they get ready to square off with Division III #6 Ithaca College on March 10.

Kevin McCarroll '08 led the Poet offense with two goals and an assist.  Chuck Wagner '08 also scored twice and Anthony Lackey '09 added a goal and an assist.  Alex Chaudry '08 and Matt Mulry '09 tallied one goal apiece.

The Poets won the game despite losing the groundball battle for the first time this season.  Claremont picked up 29 groundballs to the Poets' 20.  Of those 20, Todd Drotleff '08 and McCarroll had six and five, respectively.  Claremont peppered the Whittier cage with 27 shots, but Ben Brown '09 had another stellar performance in goal, making 14 saves in the game. 

The Whittier defense kept Claremont off the scoreboard for the entire first half.  The offense couldn't take advantage, however, scoring just once in the opening quarter and four times in the first half. 

The four-goal lead would prove to be enough as Brown and the Poet defense stayed strong, allowing just three goals in the second half.  Whittier also scored three times in the half, all in the third quarter.

"There are no soft games on our schedule," said second-year Head Coach Nate Watkins about the Poets' remaining schedule that features four teams ranked in the nation's top 20.  "We have to play more consistently and play up to our potential in every game from here on out." 

That difficult schedule begins on March 10, when Ithaca College comes to the friendly confines of Graham Lacrosse Field for a 3:00pm game.