Winning the small battles: Senior defender Ryan Silakoski fights off a Wittenberg player to win a ground ball.

The Oberlin men’s lacrosse team played heavily-favored Wittenberg University down to the final seconds in Wednesday’s match, but lost 8-7 on a fast break goal with less than two minutes remaining in the game. The Yeomen fell to 4-4 overall and 0-2 in NCAC play.

The Yeomen were on the attack in the first quarter of the game, applying continuous pressure and controlling possessions, scoring four goals and shutting down Wittenberg’s offense.

“Wittenberg probably underestimated us and everyone came out fired up for the game, so that combination let us get a four point lead real quick which was a great way to start,” senior co-captain Jared Pickard said.

But Wittenberg regrouped, and the momentum in the second quarter swung toward the Lords. By halftime, the score was tied.

“The second quarter was tough on us, we didn’t run as hard and while we didn’t put any goals in, they caught up,” senior co-captain Ryan Silakoski said.

Both teams played hard in the second half; Oberlin sensed a possible upset and Wittenberg began to take the Yeomen seriously.

Wittenberg finished the third quarter up 7-5, but Oberlin came out with renewed energy in the last 15 minutes and tied the score with just four minutes remaining in the game.

Still tied with under two minutes remaining, overtime seemed likely. But as the Yeomen brought the ball upfield, the Lords picked off an errant pass and put the ball in the goal to seal the victory.

“Everyone just played their hardest for the entire game,” Pickard said. “We can stay with any team if we play as hard as we did for that long. We just ran out of time. The game could have gone either way.”

Despite the loss, the Yeomen haven’t lost heart and are confident of their competitiveness going into Saturday’s game against Shenandoah University at home.

“We are a second half team, we own the second half – in any given game if we can get to the second half in the lead I can just about guarantee that we will win,” Silakoski said.