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The Dartmouth
March 28, 2024 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

Fairfield defeats men's lacrosse in first loss of the season

Ari Sussman '10 scored two goals on Saturday in Dartmouth's 14-9 loss.
Ari Sussman '10 scored two goals on Saturday in Dartmouth's 14-9 loss.

After the game, Fairfield (2-0, 0-0 ECAC) entered the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association's coaches' poll at the No. 20 spot, while the Big Green (1-1, 0-0 Ivy), which received honorable mention votes last week, received zero votes in the latest poll.

The team was not content with its performance against Fairfield and players attributed the team's poor competition to sloppiness.

"We didn't play well," captain Doug Rendall '09 said. "We didn't do the little things and a lot of little things added up to a game. It was never really close. It boils down to a lack of execution. Everyone knew what we needed to do on offense, defense, transitions and face-offs -- and we just didn't do it."

In the first period, Fairfield came out with a strong lead in the first period, opening the game on a strong 3-0 run.

Dartmouth was unable to match the Stags' early lead, even after Jon Livadas '09 and Jimmy Mullen '09 scored for the Big Green. The period ended with another Fairfield goal, leaving Dartmouth trailing 4-2 at the end of the first.

The Stags controlled the game throughout the first quarter, as Fairfield outshot the Big Green 14-5 and won an advantage on the ground with eight ground balls to Dartmouth's five. The Stags also won five of seven face-offs in the first quarter and converted two of three extra man opportunities after Big Green penalties.

Fairfield padded its lead with another two goals at the beginning of the second quarter. Mullen responded with his second goal of the night, and Dartmouth trailed Fairfield 6-3 with time to play in the second quarter.

By the end of the second quarter, the Stags had built their lead up to 9-3.

The Stags outshot the Dartmouth men 14-6 in the second quarter. Although the Big Green was outshot and outscored, it managed to beat Fairfield on the ground and at the face-off, winning six of 10 ground balls and four of seven face-offs.

Fairfield began the second half in the same way it had started the first and second periods -- with a two-goal run on Dartmouth.

This time, however, the Big Green matched the scoring spree, as Ari Sussman '10 scored his first goal of the game and Livadas netted his second of the day. Despite the efforts by Sussman and Livadas to keep the Big Green in the game, Fairfield responded with another goal at the close of the third period, bringing the contest to 12-5 in favor of Fairfield.

Dartmouth outshot the Stags 13-8 in the third period, for the first time during the game. Even by outshooting the Stags, the Big Green could not level Fairfield's advantage.

Dartmouth rallied in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late. Dartmouth outscored Fairfield 4-2 in the fourth with goals from Sussman, Andrew Peisch '10, Brian Koch '09 and Chris Root '09.

Although Dartmouth ended up outshooting Fairfield in the second half on Saturday, 23-16, the Big Green was outplayed in situations to control possession, losing six of eight face-offs in the second half.

The Stags also earned more turnovers as a team, finishing the second half with 15 to the Big Green's nine. Throughout the game face-offs haunted the Big Green, which compiled an 8-24 record on the game.

Although face-offs were the weak point in Saturday's loss, Rendall was not too discouraged by that facet of the game.

"Face-offs are just one of the things we need to work on," Rendall said. "The other problem was that when we got the ball, we just turned it over. They're both things that we really need to work on as the season goes on."

The team is now trying to move forward and build off the tough loss.

"We're trying to remember the game and put it behind us," Rendall said. "We had a really tough practice [Monday] and we're getting back to the basics after that game. This is where we have to focus on being a tough team and we're really trying to be a tough team this season."

The team hopes to bounce back this Friday against the University of Vermont (0-2, 0-0 America East) at Dartmouth. Ivy League play begins for the Big Green at Brown on March 22.

The lacrosse team is currently practicing and competing at Memorial Field as Sculley-Fahey field is currently undergoing renovations that have been delayed due to bad weather.