COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Capital University men's lacrosse team (1-2, 0-0 OAC) took to the field of Bernlohr Stadium for the first time this season after two games on the road last weekend. The opponent on tap for the day would be the Kenyon College Owls (3-0, 0-0 NCAC), a team that had been receiving votes in the USILA Top 20 polls coming into the week. It was a close contest through-and-through, even looking to be going to overtime after the Comets equalized with just 18 seconds left. However, Kenyon would get the win on a literal last-second score that left the Cap with no time to retaliate, 10-9. 

There was little scoring to be had throughout the first three quarters as the teams matched 3-3 in the first, and 1-1 in both the second and third. Jacob Poole, Max Schillig, Ty Chase were the first quarter goal-scorers for Capital. Spaulding would add two in the middle periods, one in the second and one in the third to make it a 5-5 game going into the final 15 minutes.

The intensity ramped up for the fourth quarter as Jacob Poole put the Comets ahead at the 12:18-mark. Unfortunately, the lead would not last long as Kenyon scored three-straight to go up 8-6. Charlie Howenstine and Nathan Montgomery then managed to go back-to-back to tie it up at 8-8. Again Kenyon put one in to make it 9-8 with four minutes remaining. It was back-and-forth to the finish until finally Cap got the golden opportunity to tie it up and force overtime after a Kenyon penalty with just 37 seconds left. And tie it up they did when Jake Belt set up Spaulding for the equalizer as the clock hit 18 seconds. Sadly, the excitement was short lived as the Owls took the ensuing face-off straight to the cage, scoring with just one second left and escaping Columbus with a 10-9 final.

THE NUMBERS
Mason Spaulding led the scoreline for the Comets with three goals and one assist for a total of four points. Additionally, he picked up two ground balls and caused two turnovers. 

Jacob Poole put in two goals for two points.

Charlie Howenstine and Nathan Montgomery each picked up two points off of one goal and one assist. Howenstine would also grab a ground ball.

Ty Chase and Max Schillig accounted for the other two Capital goals. 

Gino Nave led the defensive efforts for CU with a career-high six caused turnovers, also picking up seven ground balls. 

Logan Byers set himself new career highs in both ground balls (3) and caused turnovers (2).

Drew Bolen (2 CT, 1 GB), James Howenstine (1 CT, 4 GB), Jackson Gantz (1 CT, 2 GB), and Austin Yanichko (1 CT) made up the rest of the defensive disruptions.

Luc Kadlic (1-2) had himself a day, standing on his head to make a career-high 14 saves on 37 shots faced, keeping a save percentage of 58.3% in the process. He also grabbed two ground balls.

UP NEXT
Capital will make another trip to Tennessee next weekend, as the team will travel to Rhodes College in Memphis on Saturday, March 2nd.