Crimson Hopes to Tie Up Loose Ends

As summer approaches and classes are winding down, the Harvard men’s lacrosse team still has some unfinished business. This Saturday, the Crimson will make one last stand at home to wrap up league play and the season.

Following a loss to No. 2 Hofstra University, Harvard looks to bounce back with a win against Dartmouth.

Last time out, the Crimson faced a difficult task: topple a top-ten team on the road. The Pride squad, inspired by a crowd filled with more than 100 former players, controlled the game from the onset. Combined with poor composure and a slow start, Harvard found itself in a hole from which there was no escape.

“[Hofstra] matched us athletically,” coach Scott Anderson said. “They were a more mature and confident team. We weren’t as poised.”

However, Saturday’s game provides a chance for the Crimson to forget the loss and punctuate the season with one more league victory.

“We want to play well against a team we have not beaten in a couple years,” Anderson said. “Success in the league is our number one goal.”

On Saturday, Harvard will look to juniors Evan Calvert and Greg Cohen to provide the offense necessary to hold off the Big Green. Calvert and Cohen, with 23 and 19 goals, respectively, lead the Crimson in scoring.

The duo combined for four of the six goals scored against Hofstra.

On the other hand, Harvard will have to watch out for a triple-threat offense from Dartmouth. Seniors Jamie Coffin and Brad Heritage, along with junior Nick Bonacci, all have at least 28 goals this season.

The Crimson will also have to deal with the momentum the Dartmouth squad will bring into Saturday’s contest. Last time out, the Big Green, at home, rallied against Holy Cross to come away with a win. A slow start in the first quarter was quickly replaced by dominance in the middle frames, securing the win in the team’s last home game of the season.

Harvard, however, is more than ready to cope with these troubles.

“The focus of this week has been on our own team,” Anderson said. “We’re making sure everything is going well.”

Although the Crimson will not see a shot at the Ivy League title, a victory in the upcoming game would amount to more than a tally in the win column for some.

“I’m pretty happy to have the last game at home against Dartmouth,” said senior and co-captain Jake Samuelson. “It’s going to be nice weather; friends can come out to watch. It’s a perfect scenario.”

The seniors on the team, in their years at Harvard, have never achieved a victory against the Big Green squad.

“I kind of hate Dartmouth,” said senior and co-captain Tom Mikula. “For us to come away with a win would be big.”