After weeks of travel, the men's lacrosse team will finally return home this weekend for a game against Cornell University at 1 p.m. this Saturday.
Hampered by a young team, poor weather and lack of outdoor practice, the Big Green have had a tough season thus far, including close losses to SUNY StonyBrook and the University of Pennsylvania.
Their record (1-4, 0-1 Ivy) puts them ahead of only Yale University in the Ivy League standings, but the team hopes to even things up this weekend against the Big Red (2-6, 1-2 Ivy).
Despite early problems, the season has not been all gloom and doom for Dartmouth. Senior Brian Merritt, who has played both attack and midfield so far this season, is having an outstanding year. Merritt -- the 1995 Ivy League Rookie of the Year -- leads the team with 25 points (16 goals, nine points) and ranks in the Ivy League's Top 10 scorers.
Merritt was also named to last week's Ivy League Honor Roll for his five goals in last Saturday's 15-12 loss to Penn.
Attackman and Co-Captain Scott Hapgood '97 is also having an excellent year, with 13 goals and three assists in Dartmouth's five games.
Midfielder John Whelen and freshmen attackman Gregg Edell have also come on strong, with eight and seven points, respectively.
Cornell, meanwhile, is coming off a tough 18-16 loss to Harvard. Junior midfielder Ian Hafner had five goals and one assist in that game, which earned him a spot in last week's Ivy League Honor Roll.
Hafner has been a driving force in Cornell's offense all season. With 23 points (17 goals, six assists), Hafner ranks just behind Merritt in the top Ivy League scorers.
Sophomore attackman Pat Dutton, with 14 goals so far, is another goal-scoring threat. Overall, however, the Big Red have an otherwise balanced offense, as 15 players have at least one point.
One of the biggest additions for Cornell this season has been the fantastic play of freshman goalie Rich Yost, who has already won two Ivy League Rookie of the Week awards in goal for the Big Red.
