MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – After scoring the game's first goal, the No. 15 nationally-ranked Wesleyan men's lacrosse team saw the No. 19 ranked Polar Bears rattle off eight consecutive goals which proved too much to overcome in the end as the Cardinals fell, 10-6, at home on Saturday afternoon. Wesleyan (5-2, 1-2 NESCAC) losses their second straight conference game while Bowdoin (7-0, 4-0 NESCAC) continues to roll as the Polar Bears are off to their best start since 1989.
 
Justin Hazard '23 put Wesleyan out in front with a goal just over three minutes into play but that was the only goal the Cardinals would score in the opening frame as Bowdoin scored five unanswered goals in the final 8:18 of the first quarter, four of which were scored by Jason Lach, to take a 5-1 lead into the second quarter.
 
Bowdoin continued to pour it on early, scoring three more unanswered goals in the second to lead 8-1. That 8-0 run was finally put to an end with another Hazard strike that was quickly followed by a Mat Gill '23 goal while Hayden Leachman '23 added another and suddenly a 3-0 Wesleyan run cut the deficit down to 8-4.
 
Even in the face of a Cardinal blitz of goals, Bowdoin settled down and managed to finish the half with a key 3-0 that stymied all momentum the Cardinals had built up while handing the Polar Bears an 11-4 halftime lead.
 
With the deficit remaining at seven (14-7) heading into the fourth, Wesleyan strung together three more goals to make it interesting down the stretch as the score read 14-10 Bowdoin with 7:06 left. Wesleyan then had a chance to pull even closer on the next series but three straight shots couldn't find the net which was followed by a Bowdoin goal on their next possession as that sequence all but put the game away for the visitors.
 
Bowdoin's offense was firing on all cylinders, outshooting Wesleyan 81-47 for the game and 33-7 in the second quarter alone. Ground balls also heavily favored the Polar Bears 43-29 and Wesleyan was forced into 21 turnovers compared to 17 for Bowdoin.
 
Even in defeat, the margin could have been much worse had it not been for the stellar performance from Colin Hanley '22 in net. The senior goalkeeper was outstanding throughout, making a career-high 26 saves including 20 in the first half alone (13 in the second quarter). Hanley even added a career-high seven ground balls to lead the team.
 
Hazard finished with four goals and one assist for five points to lead the Cardinals. Spencer Robbins '22 added two goals and two assists while Jake Sexton '22 dished out two assists and CK Giancola '24 had two points.
 
Leading the Polar Bears on offense was Will Byrne who finished with seven points (two goals, five assists) while Jason Lach (five goals, one assist) and Donal Mullane (two goals, four assists) added six points each. Robert Hobbs played outstanding in the cage, making 18 saves for the win.
 
Wesleyan has a week to regroup as the Cardinals head to Hamilton for a 1 PM start next Saturday.