Mark DeOliveira

Matt Lord

Springfield, Ohio — Mark DeOliveira, class of 2011 from East Hanover, NJ, and Matt Lord, class of 2011 from Pickerington, Ohio, established new standards as teammates on the Tiger men's lacrosse team over the last four years. They continue to break new ground even after celebrating their graduation during last week's 166th Commencement Exercises.

DeOliveira, a goalkeeper who was the Tigers' first-ever North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Player of the Year, and Lord, who broke the school record for career goals, will team up one more time in the 2011 United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division III North/South Game. The USILA will host the Division III game at 3 p.m. Friday, May 27, at Goucher College in Towson, Md., followed by the Division I/II contest at 5:30 p.m. on the same site.

A total of 69 North/South games have been played since 1940, when Baltimore hosted the inaugural game. In 1991, the USILA, an association of academic institutions with varsity lacrosse programs in all three NCAA divisions, split the event to create two games. The format has been maintained in all but one year since then.

Tickets can be purchased for $5 on the day of the game at Goucher.

DeOliveira was the Tigers' starter in goal throughout his four-year collegiate career, capped by a tremendous senior season in 2011. He started all 16 games and finished with NCAC-leading totals of 5.91 goals against average and a .631 saves percentage. His goals against average is good for No. 2 in all of NCAA Division III and his saves percentage ranks No. 10.

Lord scored 38 goals and added 18 assists for 56 total points in 2011. He led the conference and ranked among the top 100 nationally in goals and points per game, while he ranked seventh in the NCAC in assists per game. Lord, who tied the school record for goals in a season in 2010 with 42, finished his career with 115 goals to set the school record, while his career point total was 157, just 11 shy of that mark.

"I am extremely pleased with Mark and Matt's achievements over their four-year careers as lacrosse student-athletes," said Head Coach George Harris. "I am very proud that they will be representing Wittenberg University in the North/South game this weekend."

The two standouts are members of the most successful senior class in Wittenberg men's lacrosse history, which finished with a four-year record of 37-19, capped by the two best seasons to date in 2010 and 2011. The Tigers earned a share of the NCAC title and participated in the NCAA Division III Tournament in each of those seasons.

After losing to Roanoke College in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Division III Tournament, Wittenberg made a triumphant return to the national competition this year. The Tigers won their first-ever NCAA Division III Tournament game, an 8-7 overtime decision against visiting Adrian College, before falling 11-4 in the second round at Dickinson College.

Written By: Ryan Maurer
Photos By: Erin Pence

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