Danville, Kentucky – Heading south to the Bluegrass state, the Oberlin College men's lacrosse team took on the Centre Colonels Tuesday night. Losing a tightly contested 12-11 game, the Yeomen fall to 6-3 (1-0) on the season.
 
Nicholas Cuda led the team with four points on two goals and two assists, while Solomon Brennan tallied a team-best three goals. On the face-off Evan Sardina and Thinley Edwards combined to go 19-26, led by Sardina with 14 wins and 11 ground balls. David Belisle and Levi Shoemaker scooped an additional three ground balls each, while seven different Yeomen caused turnovers on defense.
 
After forcing a shot clock violation on Centre, Oberlin turned their first offensive possession into a goal behind a connection from Andrew Rosa to Jacob Starcke. Seconds off the ensuing face-off Brennan put Oberlin up 2-0. The Colonels responded with three-straight goals to close the quarter, taking a lead and momentum into the second frame.
 
Centre extended their lead to 4-2 before Brennan ended the drought for the Crimson and Gold. Winning the face-off Sardina scooped the ground ball and drove it straight into the back of the next to tie the game.
 
After adding one goal to close the half, the Colonels continued to stretch the lead with five unanswered goals to start the third quarter. Down 10-4, Cooper Zancosky found Cuda to cut into the lead, before Cuda found him to tack on another goal. Zancosky and Cuda were a part of the next three goals for the Yeomen, bringing the Crimson and Gold back within one of Centre.
 
With 6:31 remaining, Centre extended their lead to 12-9. Brennan added a goal at 5:13, followed by a Rosa goal assisted by Ryan Murphy at 3:32. Sardina won the next face-off for the Yeomen, leading to shots from Starcke, Rosa, and Murphy over the next two minutes. Despite the four shots coming up short, the Crimson and Gold defense forced a 30-second clock violation on Centre to regain possession.
 
After a timeout to regroup, Oberlin stepped back onto the field with 16 seconds remaining. Starcke's shot missed wide of the cage, but with six seconds remaining the Yeomen had one final shot to find the equalizer. Winding up to shoot, Brennan's shot was blocked by the Colonels and sunk Oberlin's chances at overtime.
 
Oberlin sets out to regain their footing at home, when they host No. 20 Ohio Wesleyan on Saturday, March 28. The national matchup is set to begin at 1 p.m.
 
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