MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – A brilliant goalkeeping display and a 6-0 first half run proved enough for No. 19 Middlebury to take down the No. 14 ranked Wesleyan men's lacrosse team on Saturday afternoon from Citrin Field. Wesleyan (6-2, 3-1 NESCAC) suffers their first defeat in NESCAC play this season while the Panthers (5-4, 4-1 NESCAC) are winners of three straight.
 
Through 30 minutes of play, both sides were nearly level in several statistics including shots, turnovers, ground balls, and face offs, but where the Panthers separated themselves from the Cardinals was the play of goalkeeper Hayden Kern who made six saves, controlled several rebounds to limit second chance opportunities, and even recorded two caused turnovers.
 
Kern's play helped lead to Middlebury's 6-0 run which translated into a 9-3 lead at halftime for the visitors. After going over 20 minutes without scoring, Wesleyan looked dangerous again to start the second half as DJ Dixon '24 and Jack Raba '23 scored within the opening three minutes, cutting the deficit to 10-5.
 
Those two goals, however, were the only ones scored by the Cardinals in the third quarter as Wesleyan's attack generated 10 shots over the final 12:18 of the frame, none of which found the back of the net as Middlebury carried a 11-5 lead into the fourth.
 
As the Cardinals' scoreless streak continued, the Panthers put the game away with three goals in the opening six minutes of the fourth, opening a 14-5 lead and ultimately claiming the 15-8 win.
 
Wesleyan outshot Middlebury 25-16 in the second half and 47-40 for the game, but Kern loomed large in the outcome as the sophomore made 12 saves in the contest. The Cardinals won the face off battle 16-11 and had a 41-31 edge in ground balls.
 
After two point-less games, Raba got back on-track with a five-point outing on Saturday, recording one goal and four assists. Dixon had four goals and one assist for five points as well. James Bailey '26 had one goal and one assist as he was the lone other Cardinal with a multi-point game.
 
Joe Hurton '27 led the Cardinal defense with four caused turnovers and four ground balls. Emmett Schillinger '25 added four ground balls and two caused turnovers.
 
Jackson Tinari '26 went 8-for-15 with six ground balls while Tyler Campbell '25 went 8-for-12 from the X. Conor Selfridge '26 entered at the start of the second quarter and finished with seven saves and nine goals allowed in 45 minutes of work.
 
Wesleyan concludes a four-game home stand on Wednesday night with a 6:30 PM start against Amherst from Citrin Field. A win over the Mammoths would secure Wesleyan the 2024 Little Three Championship as the Cardinals defeated Williams 13-10 in Williamstown back on March 16.